Burglars Target Homes Based on Obituary

By Melinda Gustafson Gervasi
One of the "to-do" items on my list when we were preparing for my father's visitation and funeral was to ask a neighbor of my parents to keep an eye our their home while we were at the funeral. Some thought I was a bit too skeptical, but based on recent local news, I'm glad I did. Turns out the local thieves are using obituary listings to determine when people will be away from the home, and break in. A summary of the events is available on NBC 15's web site. Publishing the day and time of a funeral is a basic element of an obituary. My recommendation, make sure there is someone, a neighbor or friend, who can keep an eye on the home during the event.

Comments

CJ said…
That is a contemptible brand of thief.
November 20, 2009 at 2:28 PM
Christopher Feyrer said…
My sister's husband's parents passed away recently and their home was ransacked (in Milwaukee) I wonder if this methodology was used in the preplanning stage. :(
December 8, 2009 at 8:10 AM
Melinda Gustafson Gervasi said…
I'm sorry to hear of your loss, and the combined stress of a break-in. Thank you for sharing your story.

Does anyone have suggestions on how to prevent this type of event, other than asking someone to keep an eye of the home?
December 8, 2009 at 8:16 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Welcome Sharon!: Modern Day Grave Robbers

By Melinda Gustafson Gervasi
Image
Over the past year I have grown accustomed to flipping through the mail at home and seeing at least one mailing addressed to my mother, at our home address rather than the 1121 Valley Stream Drive of my childhood.  She, my mother, left this earthly world February 16th of 2014, but her junk mail lives on.  Most of the time I mark the enveloped "deceased", leaving it for the carrier to cart off the next day, hoping the life insurance company or peddler of products to keep seniors in their homes will update their mailing lifts.  Sharon no longer needs their services. And then one day a mailing caught my attention, it was from a huge on-line bank.  Tearing it open the warning I issue to clients here in my legal office struck home - identity theft of the dead.   Sharon -- Welcome to [insert Bank Name here]!  Here are the account numbers for your new 29 savings accounts!   A whirlwind of emotions ensued.  Sadness for a mother who was gone from my li...
Read more

A Parting Gift: 9 Things To Tell Your Personal Representative or Executor

By Melinda Gustafson Gervasi
Image
A Parting Gift: 9 Things To Tell Your Personal Representative or Executor By Melinda Gustafson Gervasi June 9, 2023 For every minute spent in organizing, an hour is earned. -Benjamin Franklin A will and a power of attorney are the basic foundational documents of an estate plan.  For those wishing to make the end-of-life paperwork as easy as possible for loved ones left behind I encourage you to roll up your sleeves and dig a bit deeper.  Here are 9 things to write in a letter to your Personal Representative (the term we use here in my home state of Wisconsin, but known as Executor elsewhere in the United States): Personal data, including: date of birth, dates of marriage(s) and divorce(s); Social Security Number; educational achievements along with the institution and date awarded; People's contact information -- the phone number, email, mailing address of those named in your documents, relatives, close family friends, support network (childcare, pet sitter, etc.); Pet care in...
Read more

From Overwhelmed to Organized: A 2026 Monthly Action Plan for Your Estate Plan

By Melinda Gustafson Gervasi
Image
From Overwhelmed to Organized: A 2026 Monthly Action Plan for Your Estate Plan By Melinda Gustafson Gervasi January 2, 2026 There is an old African proverb that reminds us: 'The only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time.' For many of my clients, estate planning feels like that elephant—massive, immovable, and frankly, a bit overwhelming. But you don't have to protect your entire legacy in a single afternoon; you just need a steady appetite for progress. In this post, we’ve broken down the 'elephant' into twelve manageable monthly bites to help you complete your plan by the end of 2026. Image by M. Gustafson Gervasi, 2026 January: The Discovery Phase Start the year by gathering any existing estate documents and taking a "lay of the land." Identify what is currently in place and, more importantly, what is missing or outdated to set a clear baseline for the months ahead. February: Choosing Your Advocates Identify the people you trust to make decision...
Read more