Open houses targets for drug users

[Nancy]

In our area we have had a rash of prescription drugs being stolen from houses that are being sold. During open houses, drug thieves wait until the realtor is busy with another client and then they head for the bathroom medicine cabinet and even dresser drawers looking for drugs. In a recent case here the realtor observed the person just as he was closing the dresser drawer and she wrote down his license number and called the police. When the police contacted him he admitted to the theft and said he learned about this from his drug treatment program!!!

Be aware of this if you are selling your home. Make sure all drugs are locked up in a secure location.

Just another thing I'm sure my difficult child learned in her rehab program. She also learned about the detox kits available over the counter and how to use them. Not what I sent her to rehab for.

Nancy

 

[DaisyFace]

Geez! And so many people are trying to sell right now...

One more thing to worry about.

 

[DDD]

I hadn't read or thought about Open Houses as a resource. When I was a Realtor all we worried about were weirdos that might be dangerous. The drug "wash" kits, however, I have known about for years...at least the ones for pot. There is a steady business at the health supply stores in our County. Over the past ten years I don't know how many empty boxes I have found. Sigh!

They learn alot at Rehab. A few learn the right lessons. The others learn system beaters. It's a gamble that many of us have felt it necessary to take. The one thing our gs did learn is about the damage and degree of addiction that comes with the heavy drugs. He stopped "dabbling" after rehab and actually expresses sincere compassion for many of his friends who pop pills, snort and inject. He has distanced himself somewhat from those "friends" but the pot smokers and the alcoholics are still on the agenda. So sad. DDD

 

[Suz]

That would never have occurred to me in a million years. I am agog.

Suz

 

[svengandhi]

My H does real estate open houses. I generally stay with him and we strictly monitor the people who come in. Only one set of people is allowed to walk through at a time and they are accompanied by or the other of us. The other stays in the entry area, where we ask people to sign in and answer their questions. The only time we vary from this routine is when the house is completely empty. Since H's sister is known to be a drug seeker, we are very aware of this behavior. We generally tell home owners to take all money and medications out of the house unless they have a safe. It's very sad that the world has devolved to this but I no longer do open houses alone...

 

[susiestar]

Even in our fairly small town it is not uncommon. I know several real estate agents who stopped doing that work years before the market problems because problems like this. We also had agents who were taking people to see homes and the prospective buyers would take medications, jewelry, etc... if they got even a second alone. They would go out as a couple with one agent and one would wander off. It is becoming a fairly dangerous profession, sadly.