Hat tip to ME for sending this in!
http://abc7.com/news/$150000-in-watches-jewelry-stolen-during-sherman-oaks-open-house/1490591/
An open house to sell a Sherman Oaks home opened the door to a set of thieves who made off with more than $150,000 of jewelry and watches.
The homeowner said his real estate agent was tricked by a couple who quickly scouted the house – then distracted him while two other men moved in.
“These guys seem like they were professionals. They walked right in, they didn’t pay attention to anybody. … It just seemed like they do this all the time.”
The men were caught on surveillance camera going upstairs, where they went into the home’s office and bedroom. The homeowner hid an expensive watch collection in his closet, but one of the men found it. The other man grabbed an iPad and a camera, just put it around his neck and walked out with it.
Real estate agents suggest homeowners remove or lock up valuables before an open house.But this family says they’ll never have an open house again.
“Everybody has something small or something you’re not paying attention to and it’s taken,” the homeowner said. “My advice is do appointment only.”
Anyone who has information or recognizes the people in the surveillance video is asked to call police at 1-877-LAPD-24-7.
I’m sorry for the loss. There’s nothing worse than a thief.
On a more positive note. It looks like a nice house with lots of childproofing features.
Of course one must wonder about the chances of the goods walking off in general by theft. Leaving $150k of stuff laying around the house is an invite to thieves in general. For the stuff that was stolen unless used often there are bank safe deposit boxes.
Not to be belittle the subject or be overly pessimistic, but perhaps a slight re-write of the story would be “…a set of thieves who made off with jewelry and watches with an INSURED value of $150,000….”
Yes, and this was the only theft reported out of a million open houses nationwide. It is not a common event.
so much for the metal front gates out front…..
What kind of fool would leave valuables out during an open house any way. you can find a decent safe from costco for a few hundred bucks, and it can be returned anytime.
The more common event is theft of prescription pain medication, especially now that they aren’t dolling them out like candy anymore (well, not as much as they were).
Of the million open houses I’ve done, there has only been one theft – and it was prescription meds.