OT: Another Jackson MS crime story

[Dawgtruc]

My wife is a Realtor,

and for the 2nd time,

2 different houses in Jackson for which she had a buyer.

the outside condenser unit was stolen on a house that would have gone under contract, but the buyers backed out when they learned of the theft. One of them claimed it was due to something found in the inspection, but I know for a fact that it was because of the theft of the ac compressor. Which, it is replaced, and some of the cost is absorbed by the seller's insurance, but this is getting ridiculous.

She went over there and saw concrete pad and wires and had to call and inform the list agent, who had no clue. It was there the day before.

This takes multiple people to pull this off. These guys back a truck up to the gate, walk into the back yard, unhook the unit and tote it to the truck and drive off.

The first house was in South Jackson....not the best area. This latest one is in NE Jackson, which you would think is a bit better, but no. Both houses, I believe, were rentals that the owner decided to go ahead and sell. And both were vacant at the time....which is the real issue that leads to these guys thinking they can easily get away with it. I wish both houses had security cameras, but they didn't. Not sure if they did this in broad daylight or at night.

That is 2 commissions that she lost out on, due to the disaster that Jackson has become and nobody in charge from the mayor's office or police dept seem to care. Most of her business is done in Madison/Ridgeland/Brandon etc. But she is not afraid to do a few Jackson homes here and there.

How common is this in other metro areas? I think it's the same group of people that is doing this.

 

[Cooterpoot]

Tell her to watch her catalytic converter when she goes to show a home

 

[PooPopsBaldHead]

It's extremely common in Dallas. If you live in the part of Dallas inside the red line shown here...

View attachment 24435

This is what your condenser unit looks like...

View attachment 24436

Condenser cages are a big business. Maybe you buy one for the wife she can use until the houses close from now on?

https://www.google.com/search?q=con...HXwkBMEQ_AUoAXoECAIQAw&biw=1421&bih=718&dpr=2

 

[Smoked Toag]

The first house was in South Jackson....not the best area. This latest one is in NE Jackson, which you would think is a bit better, but no. Both houses, I believe, were rentals that the owner decided to go ahead and sell. And both were vacant at the time....which is the real issue that leads to these guys thinking they can easily get away with it. I wish both houses had security cameras, but they didn't. Not sure if they did this in broad daylight or at night.

That's the problem right there. You know rentals in Jackson aren't going to be in great areas. And "NE Jackson" means nothing anymore, only Highland Village and Eastover are nice now. That whole area around the old golf course up to Northpark has gone down.

But to answer your question - no - it happens everywhere.

 

[RBDog82]

Yea, I own a decent amount of rentals in the metro area and have purposefully avoided JXN. Other landlords have had some success in NEJ, Belhaven and Fondren, but I don’t want any of it.

 

[GloryDawg]

That's the problem right there. You know rentals in Jackson aren't going to be in great areas. And "NE Jackson" means nothing anymore, only Highland Village and Eastover are nice now. That whole area around the old golf course up to Northpark has gone down.

But to answer your question - no - it happens everywhere.

My wife's dad own about 15 rental houses in S. Jackson. Collecting the rent was horrible. They would not pay and had 1000 excuses. I told him I would set up a weekly debit and I would go by and collect a weekly rent. He would not do it. This was before covid and it was hell trying to get them evicted. The legal cost and lost rent in the time it took was horrible. He finally sold all of them to a company out of California that bought all of them. They were all HUD homes so he did get the portion of the rent HUD paid. I left that out.

 

[horshack.sixpack]

1) Jackson crime is bad. 2) This happened to me in Madison in 2002. I had just built, closed on my new house. Turned the air on. No dice. Walked outside. No unit. They had parked on 463, climbed through a ditch, up a hill, busted out a 6 foot section of 6ft wooden privacy fence. Walked down my steep back yard. Cut it loose and hauled it out. It sucked.

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

That's the problem right there. You know rentals in Jackson aren't going to be in great areas. And "NE Jackson" means nothing anymore, only Highland Village and Eastover are nice now. That whole area around the old golf course up to Northpark has gone down.

But to answer your question - no - it happens everywhere.

The days of FNEJ are long gone, only Eastover and a few surrounding neighborhoods (including the area to the south of Jxn Academy) remain. I certainly wouldn't live there.

On my quiet street at the Rez (of 12 houses), three homes are retired, and the rest have either stay at home moms or full time teleworkers, I jokingly refer to it is as the safest neighborhood in American. Half the people on the street still don't look their doors or put their garage doors down.

 

[Faustdog]

All of you guys who are sick and tired and ready to sell off your rentals in NEJ, please let me know. I can help you divest in a day or so.

 

[Digging dog]

1) Jackson crime is bad. 2) This happened to me in Madison in 2002. I had just built, closed on my new house. Turned the air on. No dice. Walked outside. No unit. They had parked on 463, busted climbed through a ditch, up a hill, busted out a 6 foot section of 6ft wooden privacy fence. Walked down my steep back yard. Cut it loose and hauled it out. It sucked.

Good bet they’re unemployed ** too.

 

[patdog]

They have a job. Standing on the corners of the frontage roads asking for money is a full-time job for a lot of them. It would probably be depressing if we knew what they're making on an hourly basis, tax-free.

 

[GloryDawg]

1) Jackson crime is bad. 2) This happened to me in Madison in 2002. I had just built, closed on my new house. Turned the air on. No dice. Walked outside. No unit. They had parked on 463, busted climbed through a ditch, up a hill, busted out a 6 foot section of 6ft wooden privacy fence. Walked down my steep back yard. Cut it loose and hauled it out. It sucked.

don't you have to have HAVAC license to sell that stuff as scrap?

 

[dorndawg]

don't you have to have HAVAC license to sell that stuff as scrap?

I was also wondering where/how so many of these are getting fenced? (Not saying it didn't happen of course.)

 

[missouridawg]

The crime in Houston and its surrounding suburbs is getting outrageous too. Catalytic converter thefts in the greater Houston metro area tally around 25-30 per day, according to some stats I read a month or so ago.

Recently, a local Post Office worker, out delivering mail, was held at gunpoint and forced to hand over her master key. This master key was used in just about every neighborhood on the west and northwest side of Houston. We have both mailboxes in our gated neighborhood stolen from multiple times in the month. Last week, I believe the police caught the guy as they arrested someone who had mail packages and a master key (as well as weapons and cocaine) in the car.

The bad news, is that this person, and his accomplice (girlfriend) were booked for multiple felonies... and then let out on bail for $5k and $2k respectively.

For your local areas, you should really take note on the district attorneys and judges who are not punishing the people committing these crimes. These people need to be voted right the 17 up out of their office.

Pay attention to San Francisco on June 7th. They are probably going to recall Chesa Boudin (district attorney). If the people of SF vote out one of their own progressives, I think you will see quite the flip from blue to red in congress this fall. It will follow the results that occurred in Virginia last November.

 

[WrapItDog]

don't you have to have HAVAC license to sell that stuff as scrap?

No they break them down into parts and pieces. Separate the copper/aluminum and sell if for scrap metal. Kill the power at the HVAC breaker box. Cut the wires and copper pipes with bolt cutters and load it up in a pickup truck in a couple of minutes.

I looked at bank repo house in Memphis where the copper thieves hooked up a chain to the wiring at the house main breaker panel. Hooked the chain to a truck and pulled most of the wires out of the house. The damage to drywall ceilings and walls was impressive.

 

[bruiser.sixpack]

My Jackson Crime story dwarfs all of these by comparison. And the sorry Jackson Police Department ain’t never gonna solve it. I would NOT be surprised if they knew who did it and refused to arrest them because they are underage and in a gang. Been 2 years next month. We haven’t even heard from JPD or the MBI in over a year.

The only violent crimes Jackson actually solves are the ones where the peeps turn themselves in or a parent or grandparent turn them in. No way JPD has an investigation division worth a crap. They too busy trying to keep from getting shot themselves by investigating the old fashion way. Cracking heads!!!

 

[G-Dawg]

That's the problem right there. You know rentals in Jackson aren't going to be in great areas. And "NE Jackson" means nothing anymore, only Highland Village and Eastover are nice now. That whole area around the old golf course up to Northpark has gone down.

But to answer your question - no - it happens everywhere.

Eastover is putting in 5 gates to the neighborhood. They've had enough.

 

[BoomBoom.sixpack]

A few years ago when copper prices were high, some group stole every condenser unit to a strip mall by the beach in Biloxi. The one just west of the mall.

 

[BoomBoom.sixpack]

I was also wondering where/how so many of these are getting fenced? (Not saying it didn't happen of course.)

I'm curious if, when their own unit in the hood goes belly up, that they go steal one rather than buy a new one.

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

Many years ago when the news got out that PACs associated with George Soros were helping to get various DAs (including Hinds) around the country elected, many people wondered why George Soros cared about the Hinds County DA race, now we know.

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

don't you have to have HAVAC license to sell that stuff as scrap?

Many HVAC Techs are shady AF.

 

[TNT.sixpack]

It's common in Jackson. I had 4 rentals. Eventually sold all 4 just because the money wasn't worth the headaches and i travel a good bit anyway. 3 of mine actually paid ok. I only had trouble collecting on one consistently. Anyway, i sold all 4 at different times. EVERY one of them had the central AC stolen while it was vacant. Every. Damn. One. Only one had a for sale sign in front when it happened. If you drive around jackson, you'll see many landlords place metal cages around them with a lock. It's the cost of being in the rental house business in Jackson.

 

[Bill Shankly]

My wife is a Realtor,

and for the 2nd time,

2 different houses in Jackson for which she had a buyer.

the outside condenser unit was stolen on a house that would have gone under contract, but the buyers backed out when they learned of the theft. One of them claimed it was due to something found in the inspection, but I know for a fact that it was because of the theft of the ac compressor. Which, it is replaced, and some of the cost is absorbed by the seller's insurance, but this is getting ridiculous.

She went over there and saw concrete pad and wires and had to call and inform the list agent, who had no clue. It was there the day before.

This takes multiple people to pull this off. These guys back a truck up to the gate, walk into the back yard, unhook the unit and tote it to the truck and drive off.

The first house was in South Jackson....not the best area. This latest one is in NE Jackson, which you would think is a bit better, but no. Both houses, I believe, were rentals that the owner decided to go ahead and sell. And both were vacant at the time....which is the real issue that leads to these guys thinking they can easily get away with it. I wish both houses had security cameras, but they didn't. Not sure if they did this in broad daylight or at night.

That is 2 commissions that she lost out on, due to the disaster that Jackson has become and nobody in charge from the mayor's office or police dept seem to care. Most of her business is done in Madison/Ridgeland/Brandon etc. But she is not afraid to do a few Jackson homes here and there.

How common is this in other metro areas? I think it's the same group of people that is doing this.

It's pretty common everywhere. I live in a small town in N. Miss, NOT a metro area by any means. We went on vacation once and found we had air conditioner problems when we got back. It wasn't stolen, just on the fritz, but while I was outside at midnight trying to see what was wrong, the deputy sheriff that lives nearby and was watching the house for us came charging in to see who I was and what I was doing. He saw the flashlight and didn't know we were back. He said that isa VERY common thing when people are away. It's why I NEVER post photos from a vacation on social media till we get BACK.

 

[Bill Shankly]

don't you have to have HAVAC license to sell that stuff as scrap?

They do it for the copper in the unit.

 

[DAWGS1.sixpack]

Good bet they’re unemployed ** too.

You start shooting those DMF’s , most of it would stop!

 

[DAWGS1.sixpack]

They do it for the copper in the unit.

Yes - or at least you use to have to or have something showing you worked for a HVAC company

 

[8dog]

Just a hunch but I dont think they steal them when you know they are stealing them. Its one of the critical aspects of stealing something.

 

[MtPigsmore]

Yeah - you have to show your license(supposed to) and any copper sales they mail you a check or you have to come pick it up at a later date.

There are still some shady AF folks around the South Jackson scrap yards selling copper.

Usually get about $75-$100 per condenser broken down. Which is way less than the damage done if it's ripped out.

 

[patdog]

The Jackson police dept has its problems. But by far the bigger problem is the DA and the judges. A friend of mine is on the force, and they routinely arrest really bad guys only to see them back on the streets the next day.

 

[catvet]

Jackson is a crime ridden ********? Tell me more.

 

[Bill Shankly]

Yes - or at least you use to have to or have something showing you worked for a HVAC company

Break it down from the unit........."You don't need that stuff"

 

[goindhoo]

She can sell the houses at a later date after new AC installed. She may even get more money due to home prices steadily increasing. She hasn’t lost out on anything.

 

[Go Budaw]

She can sell the houses at a later date after new AC installed. She may even get more money due to home prices steadily increasing. She hasn’t lost out on anything.

How is that? She lost all the time she invested in listing, marketing, price negotiating, and contracting both of those properties, and now has to start from square one on both when she could have started investing that time in other properties after closing on them and pocketing commission. Additionally, she has to explain to future buyers why each property went off the market and immediately back on the market (which is a huge red flag to buyers) and hope that doesn’t turn them off to the property due to lack of faith in the neighborhood and general safety of the area.

And the rising home prices are about done….especially in relatively undesirable areas like Jackson, in case you haven’t been paying attention to skyrocketing interest rates lately.

 

[mstateglfr]

How common is this in other metro areas?

Havent heard of this, for sure will now look into it since its on my radar, and I have 0 interest in living in a place where this is frequent.

Stay and fix the problem or leave and go where there is no problem- Both solutions have their merit and I wouldnt disagree with someone regardless of what they choose. This seems like staying and fixing would end up as a failure though.

 

[mstateglfr]

Many HVAC Techs are shady AF.

Well thats quite the generalization. What % of HVAC techs do you even know?

 

[johnson86-1]

Eastover is putting in 5 gates to the neighborhood. They've had enough.

Are the streets in Eastover private? Generally you have to get the municipality to abandon the streets in order to restrict access. Should generally be a no brainer for municipalities to give up that maintenance obligation provided none of the streets are used as thoroughfares, but politically a lot of municipalities or counties are hesitant to do it because voters don't like giving up real estate they own to rich people for "nothing", regardless of the fact that they are giving up something that generates no revenue for the city and costs it money but not reducing the taxes they charge the "rich people" in the neighborhood.

 

[johnson86-1]

The Jackson police dept has its problems. But by far the bigger problem is the DA and the judges. A friend of mine is on the force, and they routinely arrest really bad guys only to see them back on the streets the next day.

Yup. If I were a policeman, no way I would put myself in danger to arrest a violent criminal knowing that the criminal will be out on the street in a week, probably have another year or two (or more?) before he has to go to trial, and then get a light sentence anyway.

 

[8dog]

They are public access gates

 

[dorndawg]

Many HVAC Techs are shady AF.

 

[johnson86-1]

They are public access gates

So what is the theory on those? That criminals will be deterred by the sight of them (I'm guessing Jackson criminals will figure it our quickly)? Or that having to wait for a gate to open on the way out of the neighborhood will deter criminals? Or is there some sort video at the gate that captures license plates and faces?

I can see them helping some, but I wouldn't think it would be that big of a deterrent if they aren't monitored and/or have recording equipment at them.