Delaware State Police have arrested a man for home improvement fraud following multiple investigations.

According to police, in February 2023, detectives began investigating Frank Stiles, 51, of Millsboro for home improvement fraud.

Police said Stiles operated under multiple business names, including Heron Creek Landscaping and Pools, Premier Pools and Spas, Regal Water LLC, and Stiles Group LLC.

During the investigations, police said detectives learned that Stiles had signed contracts with sixteen victims to install in-ground swimming pools and do other outdoor construction and received over $1,500,000 in payments.

In all cases, Stile either never began or never completed these projects, police said.

Detectives obtained warrants for his arrest, and on Oct. 7, 2024, Stiles turned himself in, according to police.

Police said Stiles has been charged with seven felony counts of Theft Where Property Value is $100,000 or More, four felony counts of Theft Where Property Value is $50,000 – $100,000, Theft $1,500 or More where the Victim is 62 or Older, four felony counts of Theft by False Pretense Over $1,500, seven felony counts of Home Improvement Fraud $100,000 or More, six felony counts of Home Improvement Fraud, $50,000 – $100,000, Home Improvement Fraud where the Victim is 62 or Older, two felony counts of Home Improvement Fraud by False Pretense over $1,500, two felony counts of Home Improvement Fraud over $1,500 and two felony counts of Issuing a Bad Check Equal or Over $1,500.

Detectives are now asking anyone who may have been defrauded by Stiles in a similar manner to please contact Troop 4 Financial Crimes Unit by calling 302-856-5850.

The Southeast portion of the United States is reeling from a powerful hurricane season.

Despite all the storms, Delaware has gotten off relatively easy. Tropical Storm Debby went through Pennsylvania and Delaware felt part of it, but there hasn’t been a direct hit.

Why doesn’t Delaware get hit by major hurricanes?

While storms like Debby or Superstorm Sandy have impacted Delaware, it’s unusual for Delaware to get hit. The reason is the Atlantic Ocean temperatures.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, for a tropical cyclone to spawn you need water temperatures of at least 80 degrees.

According to the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, New Jersey, the waters off the Delaware coast peak in the upper 70s and may hit 80 degrees by late August or Early September.

The water temperature Monday at Fenwick Beach along the Delaware-Maryland border is 72 degrees. The temperature at Rehoboth Beach, Dewey Beach and Bethany Beach is 71 degrees.

Live Updates: Milton strengthens again, now a Cat 4 hurricane aiming at Florida

When does hurricane season end?

The Atlantic hurricane season ends Nov. 30. However, the peak months for hurricanes run from August through late September.

Big storms can happen in October

Using the storm names that have been retired since 1953 as a proxy for landfalling storms that had a great impact, September has the most retired names, with 43, Brian McNoldy, a hurricane research scientist at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School, told USA TODAY. August and October are essentially tied at 21 and 20, and only seven storm names have been retired from November storms.  

However, it’s also worth noting that October and November together have more retired storm names than June, July and August combined, he said. “So we must absolutely still be on alert for tropical cyclone threats in the remainder of hurricane season.” 

Doyle Rice and Dinah Voyles Pulver contributed to this story.