Veteran’s dead father’s house in Lithonia repeatedly ransacked, burglarized
An Air Force Reservist who lives in Warner Robins Georgia says thieves have repeatedly broken into her deceased father’s Lithonia home to steal appliances, copper piping, clothing, and valuable personal items.
“I had my father’s ashes on the table and they even went to open the ashes. They ripped off the doors so they could get some appliances out. They stole the security system we had. The grandfather clock that my father built by hand, they stole that. The stole models that my dad and brother made together,” Margaret Chupp said.
Chupp told Channel 2′s Tom Regan that she lost her mother and father in a little over a year.
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While she sold her mother’s home in Fayette County, she’s been in the process of probate court to settle her father’s estate.
Since she lives two hours from Lithonia, she has difficulty making it up to check on the home.
Neighbors have called her to report seeing people breaking into the home and walking out with various furnishings and items.
“My neighbor was driving past and she saw someone parked out here and they were getting stuff. And she yelled, ‘You don’t live here’ and she said “Yeah we do,’” Chupp said.
The home on Union Grove Road that was clean and tidy when the owner died is now in shambles. The
thieves have ransacked the home, tearing out walls and door molding.
They stole air conditioning units, basically anything they could sell on the street or online.
“It’s ridiculous. They even went through his underwear drawer. He had a bunch of safes, they were all empty, but they stole them too. They stole my dad’s telescope,” Chupp said.
The reservist said they attempted to fortify the house by nailing windows shut and blocking doors. But the thieves managed to get in.
A man who lives next door said the same thieves broke into his home while he was away.
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“They broke into the cellar, took the AC unit, and took copper out of the house,” neighbor Charles Chisholm said.
“It’s scary. It’s very uncomfortable. I don’t know what to do,” neighbor Christon Simmons said.
Chupp police have responded to calls of break-ins, but if she isn’t present at the property, they told her they can’t enter the house.
“I just went down to the basement and saw they broke the display case that my grandmother’s wedding flowers were in. There’s no point in destroying stuff. If you want something, take it, don’t destroy everything. I’ve been coming to this house for 35 years and there’s a lot of memories. It’s hard,” Chupp said.
Chupp said she planned to reinforce windows and doors in hopes of keeping out the thieves and is hoping police will be able to get enough information to identify and arrest those responsible for the thefts.
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