Pretend buyers rob homes during tours
Published 9:53 pm Friday, February 26, 2010
The Chilton County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating a series of thefts in which burglars robbed houses for sale while being shown the homes by a realtor.
Sheriff Kevin Davis said the suspects, one white male and one white female, have hit at least three or four homes in the area. He said the office has no concrete evidence as to who the robbers are. He said they were last seen driving a green Jeep Cherokee.
Davis said the suspects contacted a local realty company and made formal appointments to look at certain houses in the Chilton County area. While one suspect spoke with and distracted a realtor, the other visited other rooms in the residence and stole small valuables, including jewelry, that would fit into either a purse or pockets.
Davis said investigators are currently looking through surveillance videotapes for images of the robbers during their visits with the realtors.
“My only hope is that it isn’t somebody that came into town and is already gone,” he said. “We hope it isn’t someone hopping around towns, pulling this stunt and disappearing on us.”
He said all homes were showed by the same realtor.
“This is a scheme where they’ve taken advantage of people in a way that we’ve not seen here before,” he said. “These suspects are legitimately coming into the houses and committing these thefts. It’s something everyone needs to be aware of and cautious of.”
Davis said anyone with information on the suspects or the incidents should call the sheriff’s office at 755-4698.
There is also a secret witness line at 755-7898 where people can call anonymously with their information if they wish to do so.
“We’d appreciate any help from the public,” Davis said.