Agent, Buyer Robbed at Gunpoint During Open House
Agent, Buyer Robbed at Gunpoint During Open House
The Pacific West Association of REALTORS®, based in Anaheim, Calif., issued a warning to its members in the Orange County area to be on alert after a real estate agent and a potential home buyer were robbed at gunpoint by two men during an open house.
No one was injured, police say. Police say they believe the robbers had targeted the buyer, who was carrying a large amount of cash on him.
According to police reports, the female agent was holding an open house for a listing when the two men entered the home, and asked to look around. The men then revealed a gun and ordered the agent and buyer to get on the floor. The men fled with their wallets, keys, and cell phones.
“There’s been murders and robberies and all those things at open houses … and we felt it’s important to make sure our members are aware of these things,” Nancy Gilmore, PWR CEO, told The Orange County Register. PWR recommended agents take extra caution when showing homes, including inspecting homes when they enter, identifying escape routes, and having their cell phones always nearby to call for help when needed.
Since the foreclosure crisis began in 2008, more than 100 workers in the real estate profession have been killed while on the job, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics.
Source: “Realtors on Alert After Robbery During Open House,” The Orange County Register (Jan. 16, 2012)
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