November 21, 2009
- Pasco, Washington
Burglars Break Into Several Homes For Sale
By Rudabeh Shahbazi
KENNEWICK-- Thieves targeted three houses sitting vacant or up for sale in just two days.
"It's worse this year than I've ever seen before," said Realtor Eldon Gray, about the burglaries of empty houses or homes with "for sale" signs. Gray has been selling homes in the Tri-Cities for decades. He says home owners need to be vigilant, whether they are living there or not. He recommends putting a stick at the bottom of sliding glass doors, keeping lights on and making sure the house looks like someone cares about it. "Just keep the property looking nice," said Gray. "If they know it's kind of run down, there's one thing that's a dead giveaway. It makes them look like there's no one there if the weeds get too tall in the yard." Most real estate agents use a new computerized key system in the houses they show, so there is a record of who entered the house and what time, making it easier to trace possible suspects if anything happens. Police say a home on the market in the Creekstone neighborhood was the target of a man after prescription drugs. Police say he set up a showing and secretly unlocked a door so he could go back later for the pills. Two other homes at the Kennewick home manufacturer Tri-Cities Homes, were broken into this week. "It's very frustrating," said Jay Ellig, who manages the property. "It damages the homes and it takes away from our ability to show them." The last time burglars took off, a neighbor was able to scribble down their license plate, but the business still lost almost $800 in home furniture and decorations, and they will have to replace the broken doors. "It happens every four to six months," said Ellig. "It's an ongoing battle that we fight all the time." Gray says he's seen more homes burglarized since the economy took a dive. "I'd say it's up five to six percent over the last few years that I've been in this," he said. "I think it's just because the price of gas is higher, and people are just trying to find anything they can to sell and make a little money on." |
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