Cautionary Tale

[Terrel L. Shields]

Last Friday I inspected a farm which has been foreclosed on. The farm was abandoned. I met a potential buyer who lived nearby at the property. As we went into the house, which was locked, he said..."Someone has been in here since Wednesday." He had inspected it then and we knew the occupants had left to return to Minnesota.

A table had been overturned and there were numerous quart beer bottles as well as some evidence that some things were just not quite right. No window was open, no evidence of entry in back (which is so overgrown you would have seen a trail thru the weeds.) They must have went in the front door as the door to the garage was locked according to him and it was now open.

This morning at breakfast the local bank gopher and property manager told me that Monday he went to inspect a repo'd poultry farm in a remote area and found a woman with a pickup load of poultry equipment poking around the garage. As he drove up he heard a male voice hollar but didn't see anyone. She claimed she bought the equipment in Maysville (about 10 mi. away) and was interested in buying the property. He didn't believe it for a minute. He insisted she leave and she did. Meanwhile he spied another pickup inside a poultry house and no one was around. He entered, took the keys out of the ignition and left. He called the cops. The property was in a hollow and he had no cell signal til he got to the top of the hill.

The cops came and towed the vehicle. This same woman then called the sheriff the next day and complained that "some man towed her pickup off"...They invited her to have a little visit over the issue and I assume she has been arrested by now. Who and where the guy is...who knows?

This is getting dangerous. The presence of so many repo properties and so many folks who are short of money because of the high price of gas and the slow economy invites such thievery...so be careful out there when inspecting those vacant properties. Someone might be there or someone might mistake you for someone who should not be there.

A white strobe light to place on top of your car when you pull into such properties unattended might be one way to at least alert someone you might have a legitimate reason for being there. A cell phone handy and someone with you is even better.

 

[PhysicalDepreciation]

You're not kidding. Just the other day I was doing a short sale in a seedy section of an urban area. Upon meeting the realtor, she explained that she never goes into the house alone(3-family). She brought two other male associates with her. The kicker was both guys were carrying baseball bats. It took me a second to really process this. Sure enough as one of the men entered to make sure the property was still vacant two people went running out the back door.

 

[Ray Miller]

Wish I could relate my story about last week here. But all I can say a lot of things came up missing out of three properties on a property check that I did before the auctions. they are coming up for auction this week and next. The property was secured and only one outfit had access keys to the properties. there is going to be a lot of stealing in the course of time till these properties are disposed of.

 

[Hamlet]

WOW, getting scary out there!

It does give one pause to consider that these dangers will escalate as more and more people become homeless and desperate.

Whether you believe in carrying a gun or not, as the debate in the other thread, I think it behooves us all to consider our safety habits and sharpen up on what we plan to do if in a dangerous situation.

 

[CGgonnabee]

My current weapon is a large maglite...it could do some damage, but it won't make a threatening noise. I have never felt the need to get a concealed weapons permit, but I beginning to rethink this decision. DH goes with me on inspections when he can, but I thought it was because I hate snakes. Seems there might be some critters out there that I should fear more than snakes.

Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Restrain]

I once had a job inspecting FHA repos. Found people, animals, stolen cars, drug stuff..

Always hollered before entering, had someone with me. Would unlock, step back and kick the door open. You could hear them running.

 

[Bearslide]

Thanks, Terrell, good post, good reminder.

 

[Frederick]

Had a close call myself recently. I found a bed roll, pillow with a steak knife beside it as well as an open door in a repo. I'm re-thinking the gun thing.

 

[RSW]

I had one where someone had been sleeping in one of the bedrooms. There was a can of opened meet and a cup of soda. I must have scared him/her off when I opened the front door. Pretty creepy!

 

[c w d]

I carry. My routine for vacant homes is to open the door, announce my presence and intent and inspect the home with one hand on my gun ensuring that noone is present. Then I proceed with my appraisal inspection. So far I have not run into anyone.