[JHeath]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=43250.02

Construction Fraud Complaints Arise

Georgette Senter
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - City police in recent weeks have received several complaints from residents about companies known as 1st Storm Restoration and 1st Storm Contractors for repair work that has been paid for but not completed.

One resident of the 400 block of Pleasant Avenue told police a man named Tim stopped to talk with her earlier this summer and pointed out damage to her home from recent storms.

She contacted her insurance carrier, then called the number Tim gave her if she was interested in repair work.

In August, she got a check from her insurance carrier, and arrangements were made to have new siding put on the home.

She told police some men came and removed the old siding, but two months later, no new siding was put on her home. She also said there has been no contact with 1st Storm Restoration, reportedly based in Dyer, Ind.

Another recent report came from a man who lives in the 1000 block of Liberty Trail, who said his neighbor had some work done on his roof, and one of the men doing the work stopped to talk to him about damage to his roof. The man told the homeowner that while on his neighbor's roof, he could see damage from a storm that hit the area in August 2006.

The homeowner contacted his insurance carrier, made arrangements with 1st Storm Contractors for the new roof and when the check for $3,000 arrived in August, he signed the check over to the company. Since then, he told police he not heard from the company.

Michigan City police warned residents to be careful in dealing with representatives of companies they don't know, and that spring and fall are times when home-improvement scams are common.

Police ask that anyone who has dealt with 1st Storm Restoration or 1st Storm Contractors or any other similar companies, and have not received the services they have paid for, call police at 874-3221.

[Roger Kaputnik]

Watch out for a guy named Mark Knotts, Lakeshore Construction.

[TSNSPYDER]

I feel sorry for people getting ripped off. In these times you should always Google or check with the Better Business Bureau before doing business with someone. I Googled 1st Storm Restoration and 1st Storm Contractors and found nothing. That would have got me thinking right off there was something funny going on since everybody is on the internet somehow.

Please note and maybe contact the proper authorities. Don't know if these are the same people or not. I did a phone number search on att.com/directory for "1st storm" in Indiana. This was the only thing that popped up:

First Storm
517 Franklin St
Michigan City, IN 46360

(219) 878-1565

I wonder if these are the same guys?
If it is the same guys, usually these losers will say the manager is now the owner and vice versa. That's how they get around legal loopholes.

[ChickenCityRoller]

I feel sorry for people getting ripped off. In these times you should always Google or check with the Better Business Bureau before doing business with someone. I Googled 1st Storm Restoration and 1st Storm Contractors and found nothing. That would have got me thinking right off there was something funny going on since everybody is on the internet somehow.

Please note and maybe contact the proper authorities. Don't know if these are the same people or not. I did a phone number search on att.com/directory for "1st storm" in Indiana. This was the only thing that popped up:

First Storm
517 Franklin St
Michigan City, IN 46360

(219) 878-1565

I wonder if these are the same guys?
If it is the same guys, usually these losers will say the manager is now the owner and vice versa. That's how they get around legal loopholes.

I do to but what kind of idiot would give someone money before work hasn't been completed?!

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=30674.27

Building A Bad Reputation?
1st Storm Restoration says it has an office in Michigan City; the empty office has a sign that says: For Rent.

Georgette Senter
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - Complaints about home improvement company 1st Storm Restoration continue to flood the Michigan City Police Department.

Two more residents file complaints Thursday, bringing to 11 the number of reports filed in the past week.

The latest reports are similar to previous. Homeowners said they made arrangements for 1st Storm Restoration of Lockport, Ill., to repair damage to their homes from recent storms, but that work was not completed.

A resident of the 200 block of Peru Street told police that after reading a News-Dispatch article on home improvement fraud, he decided to file a complaint. His insurance company authorized a roof repair payment of more than $800, and he told his carrier to release the check to 1st Storm Restoration Co.

However, after the payment was made, no work was done and no one answered the phone number he was told to call.

A resident of the 200 block of Springland Avenue also filed a report. She said her home was damaged in a storm in August and a neighbor told her about the company, even though he had not used it. She told police she called her insurance company to get approval for the repair.

She said she talked to Kerry Holland, a representative of the company, who told her to call when the insurance check arrived. On Sept. 13, she signed the $2,600 check over to 1st Storm and Holland, and in return, she received a form that said work would start on Oct. 14.

She said she called another company representative to ask about the work, and she said he came to her house and said work would start the following week.

On Oct. 15, she called again and was assured the workers should have been there. She said that when they never showed up, she went to the company office at 517-519 Franklin St., and found it vacant.

City police on Friday warned residents to be aware of "unscrupulous people" trying to separate the homeowner from their money.

1st Storm Restoration has been in the Michigan City area for several months contacting people about storm repair. In most cases, initial contact is by a flier or a representative being in the neighborhood and knocking on the door and speaking to the homeowner.

Bill Sears, who works for 1st Storm in Lockport, Ill., told The News-Dispatch on Friday he was sure the stories being reported were wrong.

"I know of 70 or 80 home owners in Michigan City we have done business with that are very happy with our work," Sears said.

But when asked why those customers have not stepped forward, he had no answer. Sears said he would try to arrange a meeting with some of those customers.

Det. Ken Drake and Sgt. Chris Yagelski are speaking to alleged victims.

"It was also brought to our attention that while out soliciting for home improvement opportunities, 1st Storm has been offering job opportunities to local men and women able to do construction work," said Drake, who added that several of those people say they have not been paid.

Reports filed in Illinois show that in 2004, state officials there brought charges against a company for home repair fraud.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan charged a door-to-door home repairman soliciting storm-related roofing repair jobs in the Chicago area for accepting down payments for repair work and then either never beginning or never completing the work.

The company went by the name Hail Restoration.

City police said they are aware of those charges and that several names mentioned in the Illinois case are the same mentioned in complaints made in Michigan City.

A check of the local office for 1st Storm Restoration, 517-519 Franklin St., found two empty store fronts. One has a "For Rent" sign on the window.

Police ask that anyone who feels they have been a victim of consumer fraud to file a report by calling 874-3221.

Contact Georgette Senter at gsenter@thenewsdispatch.com.

[Roger Kaputnik]

These kind of scum usually prey on those who are less savvy about normal business practices. They make a good case for bringing back the stocks in the town square.

[Dave]

I do to but what kind of idiot would give someone money before work hasn't been completed?!

Do you actually know of contractors in Michigan City (or anywhere else on the planet, for that matter) who will show up and complete a job before insisting upon at least a partial payment?

And if you do, who the heck are they?

[Roger Kaputnik]

Good point, Dave.