Rock Solid Renovations Albert Stole Materials Money Then Disappeared Dallas Texas

I contacted this individual to build some custom shelves for me.  He stated he thought he could have them done in a few days.

Then the excuses started.  First he wasn't sure about the spacing I wanted between the shelves, but "couldn't figure out" how to email me pictures, so we had to arrange a time for him to stop by the house.  This took a week.  He stated it was because he had other projects going on at the time.  He asked for some up-front materials money at that time, and I provided him $260 to start with.

It took another few weeks to supposedly complete the shelves (using excuses such as "it's too cold for the glue to set", etc.)  Then he claimed that an ex-employee of his had broken into his shop, stolen tools, and spray-painted an expletive on the back of my finished shelves, so he would have to repaint them.

Then, on 2/2/14, he was supposed to have an employee of his drop them off at my house.  His man never showed.  The next day Duke claimed his man had been arrested for multiple outstanding tickets, and the van containing the shelves impounded.

It took several days for him to locate the van at the impound, and then, what do you know, the shelves weren't in there.  He supposedly went and spoke to his man at the jail, and was told that the shelves had been safely stashed in a neighbor's garage (wait, what? Why would he do that?  Did he plan to get arrested?  Does he not have a garage or storage space of his own?)

I was beginning to lose my patience, and asked him to either produce the shelves or return the materials money.  He prevaricated for a few more days, and then on 2/12 stated I would have my shelves or my refund by the next day. 

Needless to say, the 13th came and went with no word.  He then emailed me and said he'd have my money returned to me over the weekend of the 15th-16th.  And that is the last I have heard from him.  It is now evening of 2/17.

This guy is some kind of con or scam artist.  STAY AWAY.  I am filing a police report and intend to take him to small claims court.