JPMorgan Chase Accidentally Breaks Into Your House And Steals Everything You Own
Bobo and Joy Dickson bought a house had been headed for foreclosure, but JPMorgan Chase apparently didn't get the message that the former owners had moved out and the new owners were in residence. So, naturally, they hired a firm to drill the Dickson's locks and take everything they owned, including their food. Now JPMorgan Chase is "taking it seriously."
"We take this very seriously, and we are working with EMC [a mortgage company JPMorgan Chase owns] and the family's attorney to make this right," said Tom Kelly, a JPMorgan spokesman.
After the Dickson's bought the house back in May, the foreclosure proceedings were supposed to have been stopped. They weren't. That's when the former owner's mortgage company (owned by JPMorgan Chase) hired "Field Asset Services Inc." to drill the locks and "empty the house," according to the Austin American-Statesmen. Field Asset Services claims that the Dickson's possessions were given to area thrift stores, but they have been unable to locate them.
Ordinarily, when personal possessions are left in a foreclosed home a court order is needed to remove the items and the owners are given the opportunity to reclaim them within 24 hours. JPMorgan Chase says its not sure if there was a court order in this case.
Elizabeth Bradburn, the Dicksons' real estate agent, is organizing an effort to collect donations for the family. She said gift cards to furniture and household goods stores are preferred and may be sent to the Dicksons' business address: 9800 N. Lamar Blvd.,
No. 315, Austin TX 78753.
"It's been awesome to see people mobilize and want to help out," Hance [Dicksons' attorney] said. "The Dicksons are, of course, very grateful and touched by the outpouring of support from the community."
Cedar Park couple sues Austin company in foreclosure mix-up [American-Statesmen](Thanks, Ron!)
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Comments:
i have a feeling JPMorgan's gonna be funding them a new house once the litigation settles
It was obviously their fault for not taking everything they own with them to work that day.
Seriously, this foreclosure crisis gets more and more ridiculous everyday.
They shouldn't need to accept donations. JP Morgan seriously (and possibly illegally) screwed this up and they (JP Morgan) needs to make this right ASAP.
Oh! The places you will go! Chuckleheads on and all at EMC and Field Asset Services.
Absolute dumbasses. Would love to see what the settlement amount is for this fiasco.
Are we sure this wasn't JT Marlon Chase?
Nice. Without a court order even. My head is at risk for exploding every time I read something like this...
If I were in their shoes, I'd go straight to a lawyer and go after both JP Morgan Chase AND Field Asset Services. Field Asset Services should've make sure everything was legit before they did that.
I really feel sorry for the people though. Money can replace many things, but there are probably other things with sentimental value that are gone for good.
This is a burglary. Period. There should be charges, people jailed, and a mind-numbingly huge settlement.
@Miss Scarlet in the Hall with a Revolver:
So they get to sleep on the floor until JPMorgan stops "taking it seriously" and "makes it right"? Personally, I would offer to pay back anyone who donated to us or donate a portion of it to charity.
I'm thinking a sue the holy crap out of them would be in order here. at least 7 figures.
@Miss Scarlet in the Hall with a Revolver: you are so right. They are gonna look foolish after all their stuff is replaced by JPMC.
@Miss Scarlet in the Hall with a Revolver: They need stuff in the interim, don't they? But yeah, they should sue.
Who names their kid Bobo, or who continues to go by that name even if it is their given name?
Wow, what a horrible thing to do to someone. I would sue the pants off of both companies.
UN-freakin-believable. Well, at least it ought to be. It's truly sad what has ceased to be shocking, out of the ordinary behavior, these days.
Hope the Dicksons' found an excellent and appropriately outraged attorney. There is just no excuse for this. Ditto what ChrisC1234 said; there are undoubtedly irreplaceable possessions forever lost to them. Money, while helpful, will never make these people whole again. Chase and Field Asset Services should fry.
@HighontheHill: I'm with you on this one. Not only should they sue for the lost property, the local prosecutor's office should be involved.
I'd be very worried about all of the paperwork they had in the house. SS cards, passports, bank statements and what not. This is going to be a huge mess for them for years to come.
Oh. My. Lord. That's horrible. Can you imagine all of the personal effects they lost? They should be able to sue for more than just actual cost. They should be able to sue for emotional turmoil and loss of items with emotional value.
@sleze69:
The prosecutor declined to get involved. There was no criminal intent here. A large, stupid mistake, but no criminal intent.
That is so messed up.
It's good to know that a major corporation can hire a firm to break into my house and steal everything I own and then take their own sweet time to "make it right".
I think their kids will be able to afford med school when this is all over.
@sleze69: It looks like they won't prosecute Field Asset.
Williamson County District Attorney John Bradley said the situation is a civil dispute because there was no criminal intent."A terrible mistake is not necessarily a crime," Bradley said. "Clearly, someone took their property without their permission. That's easy to prove. But the question becomes is the removal of the property done with criminal intent." Bradley said Field Asset had a "legally justifiable belief" that it was removing items in good faith.
But did EMC Mortgage Corp. have a "legally justifiable belief" it had a right to take their stuff? Can't they file criminal charges against them?
Instead of accepting donations they should get JPMorgan to agree to pickup the tab on any 'rented' items from a local rent-a-center until JPMorgan can either recover or reimburse them for all of their lost and irreplaceable possessions.
Me, I'd sue them for everything I could think of and publicly slam them in the media, leaving one heck of a black eye. F**k JPMorgan, I had them claim they 'never received' or had 'no record' of receiving an online payment sent over 3 times for the remainder of my auto loan. They squeezed close to an extra 700bux out of me and caused me a great level of stress for 3 months before they finally 'received' it via certified mail. I hope this 'error' leaves them scared in the public's eyes for years to come.
To the family who got screwed; I wish you the best of luck. I'm sure there are a lot of irreplaceable memories which will be lost forever because of this 'blunder'. I sincerely hope you're able to recover at least some of it and receive some form of compensation for all of my emotional trauma.
I hope the Dickerson's called the police and had the people running the service arrested. This is definitely a matter of breaking and entering and burglary. I would imagine because of the amount of stuff taken it could be considered grand theft. This is not a civil matter...
@nursetim: I meant JP Morgan should step up immediately and they shouldn't have to depend on strangers because the people responsible should be acting well responsibly.
@shades_of_blue: edit: should read 'I sincerely hope you're able to recover at least some of it and receive some form of compensation for all of your emotional trauma.'
Donations? Why? Did all their old stuff get destroyed during the theft? Give it back, plus some serious compensation for trespassing and theft and if they are super lucky they won't get sued for being thieves and breaking and entering.
Not one neighbor thought it was odd that someone rolled up to the house, drilled the locks and loaded up a moving truck?
This being right after a new family moved in?
What a sad place to live. I would at least get a couple of calls at work from not only the alarm company but the neighbors. Another good reason to be nice to your neighbors.
I dont even want to think about what some of my crazier neighbors might do to them......
I hope they sue the ever loving hell out of Chase. Their kid will have issues for a long time as will they. They are victims of a crime period.
V
Williamson County District Attorney John Bradley said the situation is a civil dispute because there was no criminal intent."A terrible mistake is not necessarily a crime," Bradley said. "Clearly, someone took their property without their permission. That's easy to prove. But the question becomes is the removal of the property done with criminal intent." Bradley said Field Asset had a "legally justifiable belief" that it was removing items in good faith.
I'm sorry, but somebody needs to go to jail over this. It's just so egregious, and I can't imagine the amount of money that they're going to have to pay this family is going to be enough to make them sit down and go "Wow, we were pretty stupid. We should XYZ to make sure this never happens again", and argh.
Am I the only one here thinking, "Just give them back their stuff"? They took it, they still have it, just give it back to them. Whats the problem? We're talking like a multi-million dollar corporation here. Put new locks on their doors, give them some money for their trouble, the end.
@rellog: No, there was no 'criminal intent'. See, if you came to me and asked me to break into some house and take all their stuff to the thrift shop, just type up a document that gives yourself permission and we're both okay.
@Miss Scarlet in the Hall with a Revolver: Who knows how long it will take for JP to "make things right" though? I'm sure they will drag this out and try to cover their asses for as long as possible. In the meantime, these people still have to go to work every day, and don't have any clothes to wear to do so.
Oh and if its no a crime can the owner go and seize the stuff at "field asset services" with no criminal charges?
After all the family will own that company soon. Where was the paperwork or at least a local sheriff to identify the correct homeowner?
No its not burglary. Burglary is well defined in every state. Not sure what the elements are in their state but common law burglary is "the trespassory breaking and entering of the dwelling of another at night with an intent to commit a felony therein."
Here we have no intent. So its not burglary. It's still possible its trespass, conversion, etc. But its not burglary.
PS: I am an attorney. I am NOT YOUR attorney. Always get your own counsel.
I need to add one more comment to everyone that keeps saying this is just a mistake and not a crime...
If I am traveling 55 MPH in a 45 MPH zone and I honestly didn't realize I was doing it, I am still liable for speeding. The cop will say I'm sorry, but you were going 10 MPH over the speed limit and my mistake will cost me the price of a ticket. That means a mistake can still be a crime and something this large should be considered something much larger than a civil problem.
D:
Holy Freakin' Crap.
When I move into a house that has been previously foreclosed upon, I'm going to booby-trap it, Home Alone-style. And then arm myself. I love Oregon and their "you can do whatever to whoever burglars your house" law.
Makes you wish vigilante assassinations were legal in this country.
@NumberFiveIsAlive: In the article it states that most of their things were given to thrift stores and unrecoverable.
Honestly though how can a something like this happen and the company won't be prosecuted. In my opinion a terrible mistake IS a crime if it's illegal aka burglary.
@morganlh85: I agree with you. I was just saying JP Morgan SHOULD do the right thing so they don't have to take donations. I doubt they will though.
golf claps
Well done, JPMorgan-Chase. Very nice.
Is it too late to vote for worst company in America?
@Gokuhouse:
Speeding is essentially a strict liability crime. Burglary is not. Speeding requires no intent. Burglary does.
One possibility is conversion: "Criminal conversion, in criminal law, is usually defined as the crime of exerting unauthorized use or control of someone else's property. It differs from theft in that it does not include the element of intending to deprive the owner of the possession of that property. As such, it is a lesser included offense of the crime of theft."
However, I have not looked at the jurisdiction in which this took place. So it depends on the State's actual law.
PS: I am NOT YOUR attorney. My post DOES NOT initiate a attorney/client relationship. This is not legal advice. I do not warrant the content. Always get your own counsel. For information/entertainment ONLY.
Many many people need to be fired because of this.
you know those repo movers will do a number on damaging the furniture and pocketing stuff.
I hope they sue Chase for substantial trauma and heartache.
I think Bobo and Joy are going to have no problem finding a lawyer to "take this seriously" and sue JP Morgan for a large amount of money.