Free Yard Sale

[reader79]

I am amazed at the stupidity of this guy. What did he expect to happen when he posted the following on Craigslist:

“Moving and we want everything to go for free,” the post said, adding that the “sale” would begin at 10 a.m. Wednesday. "So come over and take whatever you want and how much you want."

He wasn't home at the time, and came back to an empty yard and house. Now he wants people to return everything.

Vercher said that while he understands why people misinterpreted the ad, he hopes that people will return his family’s keepsakes.
"Never thought in a million years that they would come and take all of our stuff in the house," Vercher said. "It's just a nightmare."

I probably wouldn't have participated in the looting, because I would have thought it was some sort of scam. But if I had, I doubt that I would bring anything back.



www.nydailynews.com/news/national/craigslist-chaos-family-lost-misread-ad-article-1.1192073

[Deleted]

It is worse when someone posts something like that about someone else's house. It has happened. People come home from vacation and all of their stuff is gone.

[Deleted]

Wasn't the door locked??? and even if it wasn't locked, wouldn't it be illegal to enter?

[hoops902]

Oct 25, 2012 16:49:32 GMT -5 @bunnysmom said:

Wasn't the door locked??? and even if it wasn't locked, wouldn't it be illegal to enter?

Not if you take what he wrote as an invitation to enter. If you take it as "anyone who wants to come by and take whatever you want, i wanna get rid of it". It's not illegal to enter someone's home if they've given you permission.

[Deleted]

Wow! And not to be around when it happened.

I guess they won't have to pay for a moving truck.

But I bet they'll get some of their stuff back and some other folks will give them their stuff. Talk about a life lesson. I hope they can laugh about it some day.

[Deleted]

Even if that is an invitation, i would never go into someone's home that i dont know and certainly wouldnt take their shit. Why are people so opportunistic?

[hoops902]

Oct 25, 2012 20:55:39 GMT -5 @bunnysmom said:

Even if that is an invitation, i would never go into someone's home that i dont know and certainly wouldnt take their shit. Why are people so opportunistic?

Ok, you wouldn't. But he told people to come on over and take what they want. Anyone who takes anything for free is "opportunistic". I have to assume that at some point, somewhere, you've taken something from someone else when they've offered it. That's opportunistic. Even this guy has admitted he understands why people thought he meant one thing when he meant another.

[Deleted]

So would you have gone into his home and taken whatever you wanted to? Maybe opportunistic was not the right word... Did he say that just come on in even if we are not home? I would never take "come over and take what you want" as come INSIDE and take what you what even if we are not home.

[Mardi Gras Audrey]

Oct 25, 2012 22:00:57 GMT -5 @bunnysmom said:

So would you have gone into his home and taken whatever you wanted to? Maybe opportunistic was not the right word... Did he say that just come on in even if we are not home? I would never take "come over and take what you want" as come INSIDE and take what you what even if we are not home.

In fairness, most people probably didn't realize that the guy who posted the ad/lived there wasn't home. The article says that people were lined up around the block so it was just a crowd of people all over the guy's place. Once the first people opened the door and went in, they probably left the door open. At that point, anyone who came afterwards would just see the crowd and follow everyone else, assuming that the homeowner had said it was okay to the people before them. Then, since no one stopped them and the cops weren't called, they just assumed that everything was good.

I wouldn't do that personally but I could see how it could happen, especially with large crowds of people who don't know each other or the homeowner. I have used freecycle a few times and they usually encourage you NOT to be there when the people are taking your stuff (Leave it on the porch or whatever). This is for your safety and their's. These people probably figured it was similar and the homeowner didn't want to risk getting raped, robbed, or whatever (Just wanted his belongings gone).