Crime & Safety
Sheriff: Business Took Thousands For No-Show Kitchen Work
A woman paid $6,000 to have her kitchen countertops redone, but Atmospheres Kitchen and Bath Artistry of Sarasota never even showed up, authorities said.
A Sarasota business owner is under arrest after he allegedly took thousands of dollars from a customer for a kitchen remodeling job but never did the work, authorities said Friday.
The victim made a partial payment of $6,000 to Atmospheres Kitchen and Bath Artistry on North Washington Boulevard in December 2012 to renovate her kitchen countertops, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office.
She had gotten a written estimate and signed a contract with the company. But the work was never started, authorities say, and after "numerous failed attempts to contact" business owner Matthew Nemeth or to get a refund, the woman called the sheriff’s office.
Find out what's happening in Sarasotafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Nemeth, 39, of Bradenton, was arrested Thursday and charged with grand theft. He was released after posting $20,000 bond.
Sign up for the Sarasota Patch email newsletter to get our top headlines delivered straight to your inbox so you won't miss a thing!
Find out what's happening in Sarasotafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.