"Up in Smoke"
Call for Action has been working on this story since last July. It seems a local chimney cleaning service cleaned out bank accounts rather than cleaning the chimney.
Dolores lives with her sister in this little Cape in Warwick. For 40 years this has been their home, but now they feel like part of their comfort, their safety has been stolen.
Dolores, Homeowner
"Never thought I would be swindled like that."
When we first met with Dolores in July, she was in disbelief. Wondering how could someone be so mean as to take more than $3,000 from two senior citizens for a chimney job, but never bother to finish the work. But someone did.
Dolores
"It was a noise in the chimney that petrified me and thinking it was something in there, and something had to be done."
Dolores hired Hometown Chimney Service, owned by Alan St. Cyr. In the contract he states that upon inspection the chimney shows signs of a fire, cracks in the flue tile, co2 odors present in the home....and the list goes on...the total amount, $2,895.
Dolores
"He wanted a check right away and I made him out a check and then he came back with the assumption of finishing the project and just asked for cash."
And get this, Dolores says when he showed up for more money, her sister was alone, and didn't have the money to give him, so, St. Cyr offered to personally drive her to the bank where she cleaned out her account.
Dolores
"I want my money back."
Call for Action has spent months trying to track St. Cyr down, even the police got involved, and the contractors registration board, which said St. Cyr was never registered as a contractor, because of our investigation they have now filed a civil penalty against him.
Call for Action asked a license chimney technician to look at the work St. Cyr had started on Dolores's chimney, immediately he found no signs of any chimney fire and also noticed several other safety hazards.
Jim Casey, Certified Chimney Technician
" In his contract it says that he could connect the pipes to the flue...and he hasn't."
Leaving Dolores with loose bricks, a loose cap, and a feeling of betrayal. 'Dolores, what do you think is happening?'
Dolores
"I haven't the slightest idea, it's very depressing."
Since our investigation, we have learned that Alan St. Cyr has been found in Worcester. He was arrested two days before Christmas and brought back to Rhode Island. He faces a charge of obtaining money under false pretenses, which is a felony. He is free on bail...for now.
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