An armed man, who has been linked to a string of violent crimes committed against two local female realtors, is still at large in St. Petersburg, Fla. The Saint Petersburg police have already notified the local realtors association to warn them of what they believe to be pre-meditated crimes.
Investigators reported that the first attack occurred in the 1700 block of Oxford Street North, where a female realtor was showing a house to a man when he pulled out a handgun and then tied her hands and feet together with zip ties.
The man then made the woman realtor call her husband, demanding a ransom. The man also stole the keys to the victim’s car as well as her cellphone before leaving the scene of the crime. The women was able to loosen the restraints, enabling her to go to a nearby house and report the incident.
The second case took place hours later, in the 1200 block of 58th Street North, when another female realtor was showing a house to a man and he robbed her at gunpoint.
Courtesy of St. Petersburg Police Department’s Facebook
The suspect was described as a white male in his mid 40s and about 5 feet 5 inches to 5 feet 8 inches tall with a medium build. He was said to be wearing a dark blue shirt, black pants, a straw hat and was driving a silver Nissan Murano that was caught on tape by a security camera. The victims also reported that their attacker has a strong Northeast accent.
This is just one of many crimes committed against realtors in the past month. Earlier this month, a Georgia realtor was shot in her own listing by a local sheriff who was doing police training exercises inside the property.
If you are a realtor, you already know the dangers you face when dealing with the strangers in showing a home. Here is a link to some smart tips on how you can stay safe at work.
Sources:
http://www.wfla.com/story/29230926/st-petersburg-police-warn-of-armed-man-targeting-female-realtors
http://realtormag.realtor.org/sales-and-marketing/feature/article/2010/09/real-estate-safety-stories-how-i-stay-safe
