More attacks on real estate agents documented.
The Mortgage News Daily website has an excellent article on the Sarah Anne Walker murder, with brief excerpts of other attacks on agents.
They raise the point that there don’t appear to be any hard and fast statistics on attacks on real estate agents. Besides the local real estate boards, I don’t even know who would keep those kind of stats, but it seems like someone should be keeping track. If anyone knows of an attack on a real estate agent that is related to their job, please let me know about it. I’ll keep track of all I receive and start documenting any common threads in the attacks.
Here are some of the attacks they mention:
St. Petersburg, FL, March 2006. A neatly dressed young man posing as a relocated Drug Enforcement Administration agent spent over four hours looking at houses with a real estate agent before asking to return to one of the first homes he had seen. There he attacked her, took her car keys and purse while threatening to kill her with the gun and the 12-inch hunting knife he had concealed on his person. The agent was hurt but not seriously.
Diamond Bar, CA, November 2005. A newly licensed real estate agent was shot and critically wounded while canvassing a neighborhood for clients. The victim had apparently appeared to be acting suspiciously and a homeowner shot him after he knocked on his door. Police thought the agent may have been mistaken for someone the homeowner had had an altercation with earlier in the week.
They also mention attacks on agents in Baltimore Maryland and DeKalb County, Georgia. You can read the full synopsis of those four attacks on their website.
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About Will Hicks
Will Hicks is an affiliate real estate broker licensed in the State of Tennessee. Prior to his career transition into real estate, Hicks was a SCUBA Instructor with the International ALERT Academy of Big Sandy, Texas and the National Academy of Police Diving, based in Miami, Florida.
Hicks says he’s been asked many times about the odd transition from SCUBA Instructor to Real Estate Agent. “Teaching people how to SCUBA dive was the most fun 10 years of my life. But you can’t eat fun.” You can’t pay the rent with it either.
You can reach Will Hicks in Memphis at (901) 758-5670 or (901) 828-9200 or on Twitter at TheWillHicks.
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That’s so sad that these crimes are happening…and worse that no one is taking notice. I’ve heard of women agents being assulted before but it seems that it get’s covered up rather well.
You may not be interested in out of state attacks but I’ll just mention that it was probably in the 1980’s in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, that I served on jury duty for a perpetrator charged with meeting a realtor at A Vacant house and viciously beating her. I don’t remember the details, but I believe she was also raped and hospitalized for her injuries..His name was “Householder”. And he was convicted. Sincerely, Muriel Richey
In Memory of Sarah Anne Walker
http://www.semperficatholic.com/page31.html
Denise, thanks for the link. My prayers are with her family.
Muriel, thanks for the story. I tried to find a news story I could link to about the attack you mentioned, but I’m not the Google expert my little sister is.
I’m glad the creep got thrown in jail and convicted. Throw away the key and forget about him.
West Chester Pa .. A twenty something female Realtor was attacked at knife point and raped by a client while showing condominiums in last quarter of 2005.
Allentown Pa. .. Agent (female) was killed at vacant house in 2004.
I was selling condos that had been converted from apts in 2004 when attacked and nearly killed by a person posing as a potential buyer. Person was caught and is now serving 3 life-time sentences. I am now in the middle of a law suit and am looking for any stories that I can read on this subject. If you know where I can go for this please let me know.
I too wish there were nationwide statistics on the types and numbers of assaults on real estate agents. I do know that attacks can occur almost anywhere and that agents need to be mentally and physically prepared to protect themselves. They need to formulate a mental plan for every situation they can imagine in their profession. In this way they can react quickly and not freeze or panic. I also believe in carrying a personal protection product that they are comfortable with and know how and when they can use it.
Be safe, not sorry.
Rosie
My company http://www.hotsecurity.com has been trying to provide every realtor with one of our self-defense products. I hope that every realtor across the country will carry pepperspray or a stun gun to give themselve a chance to defend and call for help.These products should be standard equipment for realtors.
Marvin Lewis
President
http://www.hotsecurity.com
Hello,
I am in the title industry and work closely with my realtors here in SA,TX. I am truly concerned for their well-being. Recently, there have been quite a few instances that have made me consider scheduling a personal safety class. Now, being in the title industry – I can’t advocate that all realtors turn to guns…however, I would like to educate my realtor friends on personal safety options and ideas to keep them aware of their surroundings at all times. I am getting together with several of my realtors this weekend and am taking the CHG course.
Ideas/Suggestions welcome.
Thank you.
Kelly