Cactus Village Community

Seller Beware

Jul 19, 2003

Now that the weather has cooled a little, yard sales will be held with increasing frequency, our NGSNA sale included, and we offer the following as a warning to homeowners holding yard or garage sales. Although it may sound like an urban legend, the story, unfortunately, appears to be true, and was passed along to us by an adjacent neighborhood association.

In late July, a family holding a yard sale on the 3800 block of Desert Park experienced a theft that was particularly reprehensible. A woman appearing to be in her early 30?’s with a four year old girl and a seven or eight year old boy stopped at the family yard sale. The woman had tattoos on her face and arms and her nose was pierced with a ring.

The young boy ran up to the homeowner holding the yard sale, gripping his crotch, and asked to use the bathroom. The owner escorted the little boy into the bathroom and then went outside to the yard sale.

When the little boy did not emerge for a while, she started for the house. At that point, the tattooed woman, perhaps the boy?’s mother, diverted her by asking to buy some cheap little item at the yard sale. Finally, the owner went inside to check on the boy and found him coming from the kitchen area of the house, not the bathroom area. The boy quickly asked for a glass of water, which the owner provided, and then escorted the child outside. The woman then left with the two children.

After they left, the owner re-entered her house, and began noticing things out of place. The child had been rifling through their possessions, and had taken change and some jewelry. The owner later remarked, ?“I couldn?’t believe that a mother could do that with her child.?” The owner made a police report.

However sad and disturbing this story may be, it does serve to remind us to keep our eyes open and, perhaps, utilize a number of family members or friends in our sales. Be alert for not only the person matching this woman?’s description, but others who may attempt a similar scam. . . ☻