Real Talk!

The Toronto Star, today, reports on an April “open house” held by a Brampton Realtor. During the “open house” a mother and two sons came to the door, posing as potential buyers. The older of the two children hung-out with the Realtor while Mom and the younger child toured the home.

Later that day, the Sellers called frantically… a number of small items (including a Wii system) had been stolen.

The article goes on to explain that the 36-year-old woman has been charged with theft from open houses that were held at seven different homes in April and May of this year. She is facing six counts of “Theft under $5,000” and one count of “Theft over $5,000” and possession of property obtained by crime.

Yesterday’s Globe and Mail stated that while at open houses, the family would pocket jewelry, laptops, cameras and other small electrical goods. All tolled, they are suspected of stealing goods worth somewhere between $15,000 and $18,000. The criminal cannot be named, as this would identify the minor children involved.

Peel Officers have recovered a quantity of stolen items, however, some is still unmatched to the rightful owner- giving police reason to believe that there are more victims, as well.

Investigators say homes in Mississauga, Halton region and Toronto may have been targeted.

“For anyone who is staging a house, we highly recommend that anything of high value that is easily concealed, be locked away,” said Constable Valade of Peel Regional Police (as quoted in the National Post yesterday) “You have to balance staging your home so that a perspective buyer will want to buy it but at the same time, you have to be mindful that there are people out there committing thefts. You have to harden yourself against being a victim.”

Open House thieves don’t wear masks, they look like nice people and they are very polite. They blend in.

Alarm clocks, Hummel figurines, glassware, wine, jewelry, furniture, leather jackets, Cuisinart machines, cheque books, area rugs, antiques, handbags, cameras, art, laptops, toiletries, floral arrangements, books, luggage, cell phones, towels, ipods, crystal, firearms, pharmaceuticals, dvds, liquor, cds, furs, credit card receipts, key-chains… if it isn’t nailed down, there’s a potential for it to go missing… while items are usually smaller, easier to conceal, I have heard of some extreme cases in which thieves have made off with nice door- knobs, fixtures, mattresses and pets, too.

Apparently, medications are the most significant target these days…
& Realtors report having their open house signs and sign holders stolen from the neighbourhood during open houses more often recently, as well.

Earlier this year, ABC television hired actors to be thieves during an open house. I am happy to report that, during ABC’s experiment, every “real” visitor to the open house tried to stop the thieves, even though they were defending a stranger's home.

Many real estate experts agree that it is not, at all; likely they will find a real buyer from an open house. Most sales are made to people who are using an agent and request a private showing.

Most of us are honest and open House theft is rare… but it is part of the reason I don’t go for them.