Lindy Man Nabbed for Attempting CT Chimney Cleaning Scam

Three Long Island men, including one from Lindenhurst, were arrested by New Canaan police on Thursday for allegedly attempting to perform a chimney cleaning work on a resident's home without a license, according to a statement released by Seargent Carol Ogrinc.

The department received a complaint on January 18 from an elderly New Canaan resident stating two men appeared at her door and told her she needed her chimney cleaned, according to Ogrinc.

The men stated they worked for All American Maintenance and Restoration and, after inspecting the chimney, explained the work they'd be performing and convinced the resident to have the work done, according to police.

Ogrinc said the men told the resident it'd cost $3,200 to complete the cleaning and repairs, and the resident wrote a check in the amount of $1,000 as a deposit for work that was scheduled to begin on January 24.

According to Ogrinc, three men arrived at the home on Thursday, January 24, in a white van with New York license plates to clean the chimney. Officers were already in the area, Ogrinc said, and confronted the men.

The officers determined the men didn't have a home improvement certificate, or building permit, nor were they licensed contractors, Ogrinc said.

All three men - Frederick Dapice, 41, of 14 Laurel Road, Lindenhurst; Robert Houlahan, 45, of 700 Nicholls Road, Deer Park; and Paul Scalia, 35, of 217 Vernon Valley Road, East Northport - were arrested.

Each man was charged with second-degree larceny, home improvement without a certificate of registration, working without a building permit and failure to obtain a tax permit.

Dapice was additionally charged with impersonating a registered salesman/contractor and failure to provide notices in sales agreement.

Dapice and Scalia each posted a $5,000 bond, while Houlahan is being held on a $7,500 bond.

Houlahan is scheduled to appear in court on January 25, while Dapice and Scalia are scheduled to appear on February 6.

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