STOCKTON: Thieves taking advantage of abandoned rural homes

[El Pinko]

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080210/A_BIZ/802100302

Thieves taking advantage of abandoned rural homes

By Joe Goldeen
Record Staff Writer
February 10, 2008 6:00 AM
STOCKTON - Thieves have been systematically stripping fixtures from one of the largest homes in the county since the residents left and security guards were pulled by its county landlords several months ago.

The sprawling, Mexican-style home - between 7,300 to 8,700 square feet, based on building permits - sits on almost five acres at a rural crossroads in the eastern section of San Joaquin County. It includes a large, custom-designed indoor pool filled with murky green water, three kitchens and seven bathrooms.

Rural neighbors are concerned about the attractive nuisance the abandoned house creates and the safety of anyone who might wander into the unsecured pool.

"It's sad that every time somebody drives by, they take a chunk of the house with them. To me, it's just sad that there's another house being screwed up," said Sherry Williamson, one of those neighbors.

[sam sarrha]

1. Another Drug Lord gone bankrupt due to the Recession...

[Aviation Pro]

3. Or an Amway Diamond gone back the J.O.B.

....

[Debau2005]

4. hahahahaha

My mother and brother were in the Amway revolution in the 90's. All they could dream of is Diamond, they attended all the cultish conventions, dreaming of motor homes and fancy cars.

Thousands of dollars in cleaning supplies later, they are no longer part of the "dream".

By the way you owe me some coffee for making me spew on my keyboard....:evilgrin:

[sam sarrha]

2. ..

[fed-up]

5. the DA still owns the house!

"While the property is fenced, one of the front gates is open wide enough for a truck to drive through. So are the French doors leading into the house - because the doors themselves are missing. In fact, so is the front door and several side doors, allowing leaves and other debris to start piling up inside.

Besides the missing doors, thieves have stripped the house of light fixtures, faucets, carpets, window coverings, toilets, anything copper - including pipes, tubing and the main electrical panel - and chiseling lots of grout to remove bathtubs and, of course, the three kitchen sinks.

..

The house in question, though, has a different story. The former owners, farm-labor contractors Rafael and Lourdes Guzman, pled guilty last summer to insurance and tax fraud relating to their business and were ordered to pay $2 million in restitution to their victims.

Rafael Guzman was sentenced to 16 months in state prison and is now at Deuel Vocational Institution in Tracy. Lourdes Guzman received credit for 17 days served in County Jail and is free, but she could not be contacted."

[sam sarrha]

6. bet a paycheck the DA got it letting a drug lord off the hook

[Forrest Greene]

7. Maybe The Local Authorities Could

...fix that fence & let the Guzmans serve out their termss in the house -- as is, of course -- as guards.––-