Arizona Jury Convicts Real Estate Agent Facing Foreclosure Of Stripping Fixtures, Appliances From Home; Used Craigslist In Attempt To Unload Goods

In Phoenix, Arizona, KNXV-TV Channel 15 reports:

• Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas announced [] that a man who stripped an Anthem home and put the items for sale on Craigslist was convicted of fraud after a five day trial. Kailish Bhatt, 44, was accused of illegally removing fixtures from the home that was in foreclosure. Thomas said this was the first conviction involving a 'home stripping' case. According to the FBI, Bhatt, a real estate agent, was arrested in April 2009 when he accepted $2,000 from an undercover agent after putting an ad on Craigslist attempting to sell kitchen cabinets, granite countertops, a double oven, microwave and dishwasher. Officials said the home was an investment property and not his residence.

Source: Man convicted after selling items stripped from Anthem home.

In a related story, see County attorney cracks down on 'home stripping' crimes.