A 78-year-old man in Florida’s Flagler County was arrested after he assaulted a female real estate agent shortly before she to host an open house.
Fox 35 Orlando reported Carlos Da Silva of Palm Coast was arrested and charged with burglary of a dwelling with assault and battery and simple battery. According to police report, the woman called 911 shortly after 11:00 a.m. on Saturday to report she was assaulted as she was setting up the home. Da Silva reported drove by the home a few times before stopping at the property. Although the woman told him the open house was not scheduled for another 20 minutes, he followed her inside and began asking questions about the home and said it wasn’t safe for her to be alone.
Da Silva offered to shake hands with the woman, but then pulled her tightly to him and began to kiss her neck. She demanded that he stop and let go of her, taking one of her business cards when he left. The woman photographed the man’s car and reported him to the police, who identified Da Silva and apprehended him at a traffic stop. Da Silva was taken into custody and booked into the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility, where he is being held without bond.
“He’s a dirty old man; he’s clearly a pervert, and he’s where he belongs: in jail,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “I would be surprised if this is his first time that he has done something of this nature.”
Thirty-thousand realtors reported being victims of violent crimes such as assault, sexual abuse, and robbery in 2022.
Photo of Carlos Da Silva courtesy of the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office
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As the broker of RAR Realty in New Jersey and Pennsylvania before any open house, I always put a temporary camera on the entrance with the sign outside the door that the camera is working. This has helped me in the past.
@Ralph Rossi I need to buy one. I’v been researching cameras. What do you use? We need to stay safe out there. Stay safe everyone.
Please make sure whatever camera you decide to use is recording to the cloud. Otherwise, the perpetrator will just take the camera and its recordings with them when they leave the scene.
I’d like to know too.
Great Idea. I never do an open house alone.
I really never did any precautionary things before and Open house but you never know what will happen to us. So I guess I need to buy a camera or do something that to secure our lives. This is scary
What type of camera do you use?
Thanks.
What kind of camera do you use? Video?
Was he arrested at a barbershop? Just kidding!
Hopefully, the NAR settlement final will take into account that real estate agents occasionally put their lives in danger selling homes. Alas, the judges probably don’t care as long as they can look like the good guys “making homes more affordable”.
Our work is not without risk and many people don’t realize that. Some of us are more of a target than others depending on how we look or what we drive. Our headshots and info are out there and we wouldn’t know if the person walking through that door has a nefarious motive. I usually try to do an open house with a lender so there’s always two of us at the property.
Every State has different ways how you can record and use a camera legally, check with your local police or an attorney before recording and yes the recording should go to the “cloud”.
I started using a camera after a new agent was having a open house and a middle aged man refused to leave sat on the sofa and was eating the snacks that where offered. The police had to be called to remove him.
My question is with the way the business, advertising and market is and all the ways a potential client can view property is a “open house” needed any longer?
My feeling is they are a bit out dated and maybe a waste of the agents time? If you have a “serious” buyer they will make a appointment to see the property so you will then know who you are dealing with and perhaps they will be pre-approved to do such a purchase.