Sorta's Neighborhood

Fun fun fun. After the 'sold' not sold drama on the MLS listings of the old guy's empty house, and Hazmat and some guy appearing who I have never seen before, NOW there is a guy over there, with an orange vest, 'pretending' to chop grass along the sidewalk and driveway. He's obviously not used to heavy work, is using a hoe (what happened to weedwackers???) and a rake and stopping every few seconds to rest. Not a worker, not even close.

At first I thought it was the water company coming to shut off the water (tagged the fence 2 days ago) but then remembered it's Sunday. They don't work on Sundays unless it's an emergency.

So I'm watching. Took a few pics of him and his truck. He looks suspiciously like that 'fake Hazmat' guy who came to my door one day, and like the guy who jumped the fence messing with the cars.

I really think that today someone will come and start to take the cars or empty the house/sheds of all the packed up belongings. This guy is probably just acting 'normal' so the neighbors won't think anything of it. A lot of crooks do that. Blend in, pretend to be 'working'.

I'm on it. Watching like a hawk, or at least a sparrow.

More details if anything else happens. This is so interesting!

UPDATE: I go to get an iced tea, come back less than a minute later, and there is a SECOND guy helping the first one load the blue trash can into the truck bed and they both hurry, jump in truck and speed off. This is NOT normal behavior. Second guy must have been there the whole time in the house or shed or in the back where he wasn't visible from my vantage point. Looked at 'work' done on grass/weeds. It's terrible. Half nothing, messy, not even a 'job'. Just a distraction I'm sure.

Now I don't know if I should call cops (probably not) or the caretaker guy who might still want to help. Ugh!

Life is never dull in your neighborhood

oh sorta - love the reason for edit

Did you get pictures sorta?

Ahhh! Got pictures Ana. Then called the 'old' caretaker guy, who still cares about the poor old guy in the nursing home.

While waiting, I talked to the house 2 doors down who was looking at my friend and I very suspiciously like WE were breaking in. So I motioned over to the gate (Huge doggie and no way to get to their door) and we chatted about everything today and in the past. Told as much as I could in a short time.

Turns out she and her daughter SAW the two guys doing the 'yard work' AND the daughter saw the second guy (who I missed) IN the yard over the fence with a ring of keys trying to open locks on shed, office, garage, house. Nothing worked.

Turns out the gal actually heard another breakin a few months back when the garage door was bashed in and we had no idea if anything was taken, etc. Caretaker guy boarded that one up. The gal actually saw guys at 5 am running through the yard with 'things' in their hands and chased them around the corner! Oh dear! Her hubby was mad for the usual reasons of safety. At least she tried. So now I know what happened that day.

Caretake came over, looked at the place and lo and behold, a break in! Bonifide this time. He pointed out a back door on the office area of the garage where the door was katty whompis. HE called the cops.

I printed out the pictures of the 'getaway truck' and the guy doing 'yard work' for the police. Two nice gals showed up with a dog who spoke French. NO it's not a mis-placed modifier. The dog actually responded to commands in French.

So gals jumped the fence, found the door was totally off it's hinges and just set it aside! Outside was a pile of the guy's clock collection, a bullhorn (electric type) some trophy looking items, and other assorted stuff. Looks like they were coming back for it since they replaced the door after piling the loot outside.

THEN police advised the caretaker guy to board up the door. He came back with nothing but good will (had to borrow my hammer and nails again of course) but had a buddy with him. THEY discovered that not only was the outer door off, but that an INNER door to the garage proper was bashed in too!

Police and we all figure they will be back tonight to grab what they put outside and maybe more.

In the meantime, caretaker guy called and left the number of the 'neice' who was here and probably has powers of attorney now to verify WHO should be around that property now. I'm guessing it's not the Snake. But I think he's behind this break-in for sure.

The entire neighborhood is now advised and will be on the lookout for the truck and those guys or anyone else we see over there. We are all instructed to call police immediately if ANYONE goes over there. Oh boy.

Sorta's Detective Agency has a case!

Go get 'em, Sorta

Wow Sorta! Never a dull moment around the Sorta's Detective Agency!

When is the pilot for the TV series.

The TV series is still looking for rich backers. Send all donations care of Pay Pal.

Oh and I forgot, when they were boarding up the doors, the caretaker found a HUGE crowbar lying in the grass nearer the house! Not there before, new item. They must have dropped it. Ha. I told him he can take it as a souvenir.

AND I printed out a picture of the guy doing yard work and the truck and wrote in bold marker "We saw you, police were called" on it and had them tack it to the repaired door. That should give them a start if they manage to come back. Not near the entry points so they will be IN the yard by the time the see it. Hope they don't come back but I bet they will. Too many goodies there to just leave.

Oh and the 'inner' door was forced open AGAINST the door jam. Backwards so the entire jamb is broken. They really wanted in badly and knew where the boxes of 'goodies' were. I know it's the Snake Gang. Yup.

Sorta, maybe it's time for crowdsource funding

Sorta, maybe the police should have the crowbar to get fingerprints?

I was holding my breath as I read this....it really is exciting!! But Sorta, please do be careful. Just because the whole neighborhood is in on it now doesn't mean you are out of danger. What if they figure out the angle of where the photo was taken?? Oh, my... And Ana is right, police should have a chance at prints.

My goodness sorta! Never a dull moment in your neighborhood!

Oh how I wish the police cared enough to take prints! They don't even write reports on this anymore. Too many break ins and they just don't care. Not important when they could be out catching the 'big' criminals.

The first time there was a burglary, we had fingerprints on lots of stuff and they didn't care. AND a jacket left on scene, and a 'carry bag' and screwdriver, etc. They didn't even collect any of it.

I guess some poor old guy's stuff and house just is a nuisance to them. Wish they would assign at least a 'senior patrol' member to watch the house for a few days. Stupid stuff.

I worry about the guy. Neighbor for 35 years. Not a friendly man, grouchy, nasty, no real friends (except that caretaker), but still, he's a neighbor and I am concerned.

He will never be coming home, the house should be emptied, fixed and sold. It's just an invitation for robberies, transients and arsonists. Everyone around here (lots of foot traffic) and car traffic knows it's empty for a year now. So sad.

Today I will walk around and see if anything is disturbed. Hopefully the boarding up of that door and the sign we put there that 'you were seen' might scare at least this attempted crew away. I'm SURE it's the Snake crew. Everything points to that guy including the 'ring of keys' the one guy had.

Someday, this will all be over when the house either burns to the ground or is sold to someone else. Praying for that day to hurry. Not the burning part though.

UPDATE: Police were here again today! The Snake and son arrived in separate cars, waited for police. They 'toured' the property for 15 minutes and all left. Snake still had keys to the gate lock so I'm assuming he is still in charge.

Fun part is they all MUST have seen that picture of the perp and the truck from yesterday's burglary. Ha! I wonder if they recognized anyone?