Montana Man Faces Charges In Connection With Alleged Home Hijacking Scam; Targeted "Foreclosure" Homes, Changed Locks, Filed Phony Paperwork, Say Cops

In Polson, Montana, the Missoulian reports:

• If Lake County authorities are correct, when Brent Arthur Wilson allegedly broke into homes in the Polson area, his intent was not to steal jewelry, artwork or other valuables. No, they say, Wilson intended to steal the house itself. Apparently targeting homes either in foreclosure or about to enter foreclosure, Wilson would allegedly gain entrance, change the locks and file a flurry of bizarre paperwork - including "third-planet-from-the-sun" language in legal descriptions of the properties' locations - with the county clerk and recorder's office.

• The 53-year-old Wilson, who is being held in the Lake County Detention Center on $100,000 bond, was to be arraigned in District Court here Thursday morning. He is charged with three felonies (theft, deceptive practices and tampering with public records or information) and two misdemeanors (criminal mischief and false swearing) in regard to one of the houses in question.

• Lake County Sheriff's Detective Rick Lenz says the investigation continues into other Polson homes on which Wilson allegedly filed similar paperwork, and more charges could be forthcoming. The houses appear to include a home at which Wilson was allegedly living, another on which he was allegedly collecting rent, and one he allegedly attempted to use as collateral for a loan from a Missoula finance company.

• It took a Polson Realtor to unravel much of it. [...]

For more, including how local real estate agent Ed McCurdy unraveled this alleged scam after he had possession of a home he had listed for sale hijacked, see Man accused of stealing at least one Polson area home by breaking in, filing false paperwork.

For story update, see Polson judge orders mental evaluation for man charged with trying to steal house:

• A court-ordered mental health examination is next for Brent Arthur Wilson, whose arraignment in District Court here Thursday morning on charges related to an alleged attempt to steal a $300,000 house didn't get much farther than that.