KENT/SUSSEX, DELAWARE (12/3/2014) A 45-year-old Felton woman has been charged with fraudulently renting five foreclosed homes she didn’t own to unsuspecting tenants after the homes were advertised on Craigslist.
State police say Kellie Hodge-Grier was developed as a suspect after an investigation that began Oct. 24. She was arrested Monday.
Police said she posed as a real estate agent, produced leases for the tenants to sign and took money – in one case receiving $3,500 for the first month’s rent and a security deposit.
Police were alerted by a man who owned a home on Mayapple Lane near Magnolia. He had been out of town since August and when he contacted the new occupants of the home was told they had rented it through Craigslist.
Detectives soon learned of similar Dover-area incidents in September, where a woman claiming to be a realty agent showed homes for rental on Quails Nest Drive and near Sorghum Mill Road. A week after the new tenant moved in to the Quails Nest Drive home, the owners — who had since settled with the bank on the foreclosed mortgage — showed up to move back in.
In early October, another fraudulent rental was discovered when a real estate company noticed locks had been changed on a house it owns on Boblin Court in Millsboro, police said.
Two other fraudulent rentals happened in Kent County, police said.
Hodge-Grier surrendered at Troop 3 near Camden and was charged with five counts of burglary, one of attempted burglary, eight counts of forgery and related charges.She was released on $36,000 unsecured bond.
Police asked anyone with information on similar crimes to call Detective A. Stetzer at 302-741-2808.
Tips also may be submitted anonymously through Delaware Crime Stoppers, which offers rewards, at 800-TIP-3333 or www.tipsubmit.com.