13 January 2006

by Neil Jenman

In May 2005, Helen Maksimovic decided to become a thief.

Helen knew how easy it was to steal from homes that were open-for-inspection. After all, she had been married to a real estate agent.

Together with her new lover, an American called Christian Frye, Helen began her crime spree. She wandered into homes for sale and, while the agents weren't looking, stole thousands of dollars worth of jewellery and valuables.

When she was caught, Helen said real estate agents were "all rip-off merchants".

But she was not stealing from agents, she was stealing from home-owners. Why punish the home-owners because you don't like agents? Excuse not accepted Helen.

But for owners of homes everywhere in Australia, the worst feature of this story is the lack of warning given to the general public.

The Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV) knew that a thief was robbing homes long before Helen was arrested.

On Radio 3AW this week, journalist Derryn Hinch, asked the REIV's chief executive, Enzo Raimondo, "You knew in the industry that somebody was working their way through wealthy properties?"

"Yes," admitted Raimondo, who said that the REIV had notified agents.

Agents? Excuse me, Mr Raimondo, it wasn't agents being robbed, it was home-owners.

Did you issue a warning to home-owners?

No.

Why not?

Because it's Raimondo's job to protect agents not consumers. It's his job to put his self-serving spin on every sentence he utters, regardless of how many consumers get hurt.

As for his feelings for Helen the thief, Raimondo said, "I feel sorry for the lady."

Well, what about a smidgen of sympathy for the victims whom you failed to warn about this thief?

Weekend after weekend families allowed agents to throw their homes open to thieves, because Raimondo and his REIV did not want to make agents look incompetent or negligent.

Shame on you all.

But this is a familiar scenario. For years thieves have used the Open-House system to steal.

Each time there's an Open Houses crime spree, the real estate industry warns agents but not home-owners. While a man stole from homes in Queensland, (and later faced 151 charges after pocketing cash, jewellery and other goods worth $131,000), there was no public warning. Just the usual whispered warnings to agents.

Home-sellers should refuse to allow agents to conduct open-for-inspections unless the agents are prepared to compensate the sellers in the event of loss.

Derryn Hinch says he hates open-for-inspections. And so he should. Years ago, when he sold his home at Mt Macedon, he was robbed of more than $50,000 of his possessions.

So, when Raimondo said he felt sorry for Helen, Hinch's response was understandable, "I don't feel sorry for her. She's a thief."

Enzo Raimondo, we understand it's your job to protect your agents, even if it means not warning the public about thieves on the loose. You must obey those who pay you. If not, you'd lose your job.

But we can't understand how you feel sorry for thieves who rob consumers.

Even if they were married to one of your agents.