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Open House Bandits Caught

2007_11_oprob2.jpgRealtors and other open house organizers can breathe slightly easier: The police have arrested two suspects in the rash of open house robberies on the Upper East and West Sides. Upper East Side residents Jennifer Jones, 39, and Jessica Joyner, 33, were arrested and charged with petty larceny, grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property. The pair would head to open houses posing as interested buyers and one would distract the real estate agent holding the open house while the other would steal jewelry, purses, clothes, champagne - even a Tiffany clock.

According to the Daily News, Joyner apparently lives on East 94th Street and has a $645,000 home in the Hamptons, while Jones lives on East 75th Street in a rent-stabilized apartment. The Post called Jones' mother Laura Rothman:

"I'm going to need a tranquilizer!" a sobbing Laura Rothman said.

"This is impossible. I can't believe my daughter would do this."...

..."The arrest was yesterday [Saturday]. Why wouldn't she [Jones] have called me?" said Rothman, a Trenton, NJ, resident. "You get one phone call in jail, right?

The anguished mom did not believe such a crime could be pulled off.

"I just don't know how someone could even do this," Rothman said. "I mean there are Realtors, other people there in the apartment. Isn't there supervision?"

The News called Joyner's mother, who was shocked but said, "I haven't seen her for a long time."

Prudential Douglas Elliman vice president Douglas Heddings first wrote about the robberies on his website, True Gotham. When surveillance tapes of the pair were released, it was thought that the brunette in the video was "a man in drag."

The Daily News describes the pair ("an upscale version of Thelma and Louise") thusly: "Joyner, a blond with a horsy smile, and Jones, a sexy brunette, allegedly stole with discriminating tastes, police said." Still, it's unclear if they wore wigs during the heists. Heddings emphasizes that people should lock up their belongings during open houses and offers these safety tips for sellers.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

Comments [rss]

  • DaLata

    they should just glue everything down like they do in hotels. i'd like to see them try and cart off a tv glued to a dresser.

  • JacqueMehoff

    I believe the second part is "throw away the key".

  • junglebunny

    Lock em up. These people are a menace to society.

  • smitty

    The motive was the thrill. Same reason Winona Ryder shoplifted.

  • freddyhere

    Looks like a pair of LI yentas to me...

  • freddyhere

    Looks like a pair of LI yentas to me...

  • Steven

    I wonder what was the motive behind this.

  • Novanglus

    I'm still laughing that it was actually a woman. Oh man that's gotta hurt. hahahaha

  • smitty

    Steals for thrills.

  • Banana

    Must feel good to read that you are suspected as being a man in drag...

  • JacqueMehoff

    they were caught by a tipster who jotted down their license plate number. gotta be careful out there, video surveillance is everywhere.

  • RoDogg

    Give'em life, no parole! Just because they are white females all the judge is gonna do is give them a little slap on their ass and say "Don't do it again". Life, no parole consideration until they are over 50.

  • Peter

    The Daily News describes the pair ("an upscale version of Thelma and Louise") thusly: "Joyner, a blond with a horsy smile

    Just give her some oats and she'll be happy.

  • samsamsam

    Which one did they think was a transvestite?

  • Dave Hogarty

    "I just don't know how someone could even do this. . . . Isn't there supervision?"

    Perhaps she was tranquilized during her kid's formative years.

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