ORANGE, Conn — The Orange Police Department arrested a Milford contractor last Thursday after he allegedly received over $100,000 in payments to complete a job and did not deliver. The man was also unable to reimburse the customer, according to a Facebook post by Orange police.
Scott Furtado, 53, owns Custom Stiles Woodworking, LLC., Orange police said, noting that he was hired by Orange residents to complete a kitchen and other custom cabinetry in the home they were building.
Furtado received more than $100,000 in payments but did not deliver any of the contracted work over a period longer than a year, Orange police said.
A “lengthy investigation” by law enforcement found that Furtado failed to fulfill the contract and could not refund the money he had been paid, according to Orange police.
Furtado was charged with four counts of first-degree larceny and posted a $25,000 bond to appear in Derby Superior Court on May 8, Orange police said. Furtado was then turned over to Fairfield police, who also held an active arrest warrant for him for similar larceny and home improvement charges, according to Orange police.
Orange police listed a link from the state’s Department of Consumer Protection for tips and advice regarding how to avoid home improvement fraud and scams.
The tips include ensuring that the contractor is registered, checking for references, having a written contract – which is the law, being cautious with deposits, checking on the building permit, remembering that if an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is, and, when appropriate, hire a licensed tradesperson.
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Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer and writer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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