Idiot #2 of the week: Man accused of leasing home he didn’t own, collecting deposit

This week's idiot has me wondering how he managed to convince someone he was a homeowner leasing a house. It seems that since the idiot was supposed to work in the house doing renovations, he got the person leasing to walk through when the homeowners were not there.  But, how did the criminal advertise the house for rent (that wasn't for rent)? There are  details missing from this story, but the bottom line is that the idiot was caught.

Merrimack man accused of leasing home he didn’t own, collecting deposit 

Union Leader Staff Report Dec 29, 2025 

Police arrested a 60-year-old Merrimack man on a charge of theft by deception after he allegedly entered into a fraudulent lease agreement.

Antonio Silva of Country Club Lane, Merrimack, NH, was arrested Saturday, Dec. 28, 2025 on an outstanding warrant for the theft, according to a news release. The investigation started in October, a year after Silva allegedly entered into a lease agreement with “an unsuspecting potential tenant,” the news release said.

Silva was released on personal recognizance and set to appear in court Jan. 22, 2026

The victim signed a lease agreement and provided a security deposit and first month’s rent totaling $5,500, according to the news release. Silva allegedly told the victim the home would be available once renovations were complete.

During the investigation, police learned Silva posed as the homeowner when he was just hired to do the work and “was in no position to offer the home for rent.” He did not complete the renovations, according to the news release.