Gutters reportedly stolen off home in south St. Louis

ST. LOUIS – Police are investigating after neighbors reported seeing two men steal gutters off of a home in south St. Louis late Sunday in the Holly Hills neighborhood.

Doorbell footage shows the car, which appears to be missing a headlight and plates, drive up to the home Sunday just before 10 p.m. Another angle shows a neighbor yelling at the two men who had pulled the gutters from the front of the property before fleeing.

Neighbor Holly Laws, who was also the listing agent for the home, said she thinks it’s just the latest property targeted because the home was for sale.

“We have people in certain neighborhoods who say, ‘Please don’t put a sign in the yard.’ It’s because they don’t want people to target the house,” she said.

Laws also had another property targeted by squatters just a day after the previous tenants moved out. She credits police for quickly taking care of that situation and suspects the thieves in this case mistakenly assumed the home was empty and that the gutters were made from copper material.

“Joke was on them… it was galvanized steel!” Laws said. “We just wish this kind of stuff didn’t happen just because you have your house for sale.”

The incident also damaged part of the home’s tile roof. They were able to get everything fixed the next day, just in time for a final walk through Monday. A new buyer closed on the home Wednesday.

Hills advises anyone selling their home to install doorbell cameras, invest in good lighting and ask neighbors to help keep an eye out.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department confirmed to FOX 2 they are aware of the incident and are still investigating.

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