Real estate agent steals stuff from houses, including booze!

I subscribe to a bunch of industry newsletters and the National Realty News just ran an article on a real estate agent in Oregon:

HILLSBORO, OR - A Cornelius realtor has been arrested and accused of breaking into at least two homes to raid the liquor cabinet and steal petty items, police said.

Michael Troy Messmer, 41, is accused of burglarizing homes in Hillsboro and Cornelius by using his pass code to access real estate "lock boxes," commonly used when realtors show homes on the market while the owner isn't around.

Lt. Michael Rouches, spokesman for Hillsboro police, said Messmer was charged with a Feb. 1 break-in of a home in the 3600 block of Northeast 8th Ave. Rouches said the homeowner returned from a business trip and found Messmer in his house, drinking a White Russian.

"It's obvious Messmer had been in his liquor cabinet," Rouches said. "(The homeowner) asks him, 'What are you doing in here?' Messmer says, 'I'm a realtor.' "

Rouches said Messmer is alleged to have left the home and taken a box of material that had been gathered beforehand, containing a Sony PlayStation video game system, perfume and household goods.

In all, the material taken was worth about $260, he said. A woman was also with him.

Days later, Messmer was discovered in a home in Cornelius, said Cmdr. Ed Jensen, of Cornelius police. He is alleged to have taken alcohol and toiletry items such as shaving cream and air freshener.

The guy must have been a real idiot or he wanted to get caught. I hope he can get his life back together.

Jon Boyd
Saline / Ann Arbor real estate buyer's agent
The Home Buyer's Agent of Ann Arbor, Inc.