This is a little late in the coming as we did not want to freak out everyone about Detroit but really most of you have visited and realize that Detroit is not as bad as its reputation and that we only buy in the good areas plus, this happens in every city; it just happens more here because teh city is bigger and there are more vacant houses.....
February 2008: We had quite the excitement at one of our properties, Buckingham. Early one morning earlier this month, the neighbor to Buckingham called Jeremy on his cell phone to say that she was calling the police and her cousin because some man was breaking in the back window of our house. We called the police and Jared (our car was in the shop). Then we were off to Buckingham.
Our Buckingham neighbor’s cousin had come over and stood in the backyard of her house. He stood there and let the man that broke in see him. The man that broke in could not leave…..he was stuck because you can not open the No Zone security doors from the inside and all the other windows were boarded inside and out. This man had really worked to get in a small kitchen window by prying the boards off (taking time and making noise). So he sat and waited as the cousin sat and watched.
The police showed up in less than 10 minutes. Yeah Detroit Police! (They are my friends – I ask questions all the time and one officer and I have a standing joke that I am stocking him since we seem to end up in the same places a lot.) We had given the police the code to open the front door from the outside. So in they went and caught the assailant with the utility sink facet and all the copper from the basement in his bag fill of equipment.
This man’s entire line of work was to walk (so no car would be seen) the streets, break in vacant houses and steal the copper and small things of value that he could carry away fast. In his bag was every tool you would need to remove fixtures, copper, aluminum, etc. He was usually in and out of a house in under 15 -20 minutes. Except when he makes so much noise getting in the house in broad daylight that he rouses the neighbor to stand outside AND he did not plan ahead for a second escape route. Silly man.
When Jared, Jeremy and I arrived, the assailant was already in the police car. We went in, showed specific damage and gave our on site statements. We then called appropriate people to come secure the window and give a quote on cost to repair the damage.
Next we went down to the local police station to give formal statements too. The folks at the station were very nice and helpful. After statements, we just needed to fax the quote for repairs and be ready to go down to the court house.
The next week Jeremy and I went downtown to be present at the arraignment. A bit of chaos in the court room – not like on TV where everyone knows their stuff, knows what they want to say, and has all their paperwork together. Wow – if I was this unprepared at UREC I would have been seriously reprimanded. These people are lawyers with other people’s future resting on their hands...I guess you get what you pay for. Note to self – buy the best when needed.
When our man got up –the Judge was not to be swayed. He has been there before, not learned his lesson and there was nothing he could say except to confess. He was going to jail. He sentencing was the next week – no bail (well really high bail). We did not have to go to next week's adventure though. He was given 5 years all for $50 of copper and a utility sink faucet. Imagine what he could do with all that energy and thought directed in a positive manner…..
February 2008: We had quite the excitement at one of our properties, Buckingham. Early one morning earlier this month, the neighbor to Buckingham called Jeremy on his cell phone to say that she was calling the police and her cousin because some man was breaking in the back window of our house. We called the police and Jared (our car was in the shop). Then we were off to Buckingham.
Our Buckingham neighbor’s cousin had come over and stood in the backyard of her house. He stood there and let the man that broke in see him. The man that broke in could not leave…..he was stuck because you can not open the No Zone security doors from the inside and all the other windows were boarded inside and out. This man had really worked to get in a small kitchen window by prying the boards off (taking time and making noise). So he sat and waited as the cousin sat and watched.
The police showed up in less than 10 minutes. Yeah Detroit Police! (They are my friends – I ask questions all the time and one officer and I have a standing joke that I am stocking him since we seem to end up in the same places a lot.) We had given the police the code to open the front door from the outside. So in they went and caught the assailant with the utility sink facet and all the copper from the basement in his bag fill of equipment.
This man’s entire line of work was to walk (so no car would be seen) the streets, break in vacant houses and steal the copper and small things of value that he could carry away fast. In his bag was every tool you would need to remove fixtures, copper, aluminum, etc. He was usually in and out of a house in under 15 -20 minutes. Except when he makes so much noise getting in the house in broad daylight that he rouses the neighbor to stand outside AND he did not plan ahead for a second escape route. Silly man.
When Jared, Jeremy and I arrived, the assailant was already in the police car. We went in, showed specific damage and gave our on site statements. We then called appropriate people to come secure the window and give a quote on cost to repair the damage.
Next we went down to the local police station to give formal statements too. The folks at the station were very nice and helpful. After statements, we just needed to fax the quote for repairs and be ready to go down to the court house.
The next week Jeremy and I went downtown to be present at the arraignment. A bit of chaos in the court room – not like on TV where everyone knows their stuff, knows what they want to say, and has all their paperwork together. Wow – if I was this unprepared at UREC I would have been seriously reprimanded. These people are lawyers with other people’s future resting on their hands...I guess you get what you pay for. Note to self – buy the best when needed.
When our man got up –the Judge was not to be swayed. He has been there before, not learned his lesson and there was nothing he could say except to confess. He was going to jail. He sentencing was the next week – no bail (well really high bail). We did not have to go to next week's adventure though. He was given 5 years all for $50 of copper and a utility sink faucet. Imagine what he could do with all that energy and thought directed in a positive manner…..
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