Treasure Coast Duo Face Add'l Charges In Alleged Home Hijacking Racket; Took Control Of Vacant Homes In Foreclosure, Rented Them To Unwitting Tenants

In Port St. Lucie, Florida, TC Palm reports:

• Two men arrested earlier this year after investigators linked them to a scheme in which a home was rented to a family without the homeowners’ knowledge now each face more than a dozen additional charges, according to recently released records and a detective.

• Robbie Jay Hughes, 36, and Issiac Rivers, 46, were arrested in early February after police accused them of renting a home in foreclosure to a family in September 2009. Following media coverage of the arrests, police received complaints of similar incidents involving the men, a warrant application states. “They would drive throughout the city, find foreclosures, or, since Robbie Hughes was a Realtor he had access to the computer and locating foreclosures due to his license,” Port St. Lucie Police Detective Kim Bailey said.

• In general, Bailey said if the homes needed maintenance, such as pool cleaning or lawn care, arrangements were made for that to be done. The men would break into the homes and change the locks, affidavits stated, and they mainly accepted cash or money orders.

For the story, see Port St. Lucie police add additional charges to suspects in home foreclosure fraud case.