Woman Uses Children to Steal Valuables at Open House
I have never been fond of doing open houses because the person who benefits most is your agent, not you the seller. And now I have that much less incentive to do them. A 36-year-old woman was arrested recently in connection with thefts at seven open houses in the Toronto area. But even more appalling than the thefts themselves was the woman’s modus operandi.
She would arrive at the open houses with a fashionably large black purse and two cute little boys. The younger boy, around eight, would cling to the woman as she toured the house.
Meanwhile, the older boy, around ten, would linger in a particular area with the realtor, making the kind of charming small-talk any ten-year-old might make.
But while the boy was keeping the agent’s attention fixed on baseball and the latest Disney movie, the woman was beyond viewing range, stuffing digital cameras, Wii video-game consoles, jewellery and even cash into her purse, as reported in the Toronto Star.
In one instance, the two boys started screaming and running around. The woman explained to the startled realtor that they were terrified of cats (there was a small tabby at the home) and the agent did what he could to calm them down.
While he was tending to the children, the woman stashed over $1,000 worth of items into her bag.
Peel police, who are investigating several of the thefts, admitted yesterday they’d never heard before of someone using children to steal at open houses. They also warned that there are likely home owners who have had open houses and haven’t yet noticed that things are missing.
The truth is – open houses are good for agents but not necessarily for sellers. Less than one percent of buyers find their home by visiting an open house. The majority of attendees show up either out of curiosity or to kill time. And some, apparently, show up just to steal.
So, if you do decide to hold an open house, make sure you put away (or better still, lock up) your valuables. And keep an eye on anyone who arrives with a fashionably large purse!