An Oklahoma man tried to steal an enormous $5.4 million mansion using fraudulent deed paperwork, investigators say.
Antonio Moore, 29, was arrested after he allegedly tried to steal a 14,000-square-foot home in Gaillardia, an affluent, gated golf course community in Oklahoma City.
Moore walked into the Oklahoma County Clerk's Office on September 11 with a fake deed and claimed he had inherited the property from a dead relative, the county sheriff's office said.
But courthouse staff thought the deed appeared suspicious, refused to file it, and reported the incident to the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office, according to police.
That same day, the legal homeowner went to the clerk's office and filed a written statement alleging months of suspicious activity, the sheriff's office said.
He alleged that his homeowner's association contacted him in April notifying him that a man, since identified as Moore, had attempted to enter the gated community under the guise of having inherited the property, police said.
Moore was turned away by security but returned to the neighborhood at least two more times, investigators allege.
The 29-year-old started having his mail delivered to the address and switched the electric and water bills into his name, the sheriff's office said.
The homeowner also received a call from the Bank of Oklahoma notifying him that Moore attempted to take a loan out against the $5.4 million property, police said.
Antonio Moore, 29, was arrested on September 30 and charged with first-degree forgery and obtaining property by trick/deception or false representation/pretense
Police allege Moore tried to steal a $5.4 million mansion in Gaillardia, an affluent, gated golf course community in Oklahoma City
Moore tried to obtain ownership of the sprawling 14,000-square-foot home by filing fraudulent deed documents at the Oklahoma County Clerk's Office. Surveillance footage shows Moore attempting to file the paperwork with courthouse staff
Moore returned to the county clerk's office on September 25 and 30 and attempted yet again to file the fraudulent paperwork, according to the sheriff's office.
He was arrested on September 30 and subsequently charged with first-degree forgery and obtaining property by trick/deception or false representation/pretense.
Moore was booked into the Oklahoma County Detention Center on a $25,000 bond, court records show. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
He has not yet entered a plea and his preliminary hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.
Oklahoma County Sheriff Tommie Johnson III said during a press conference Thursday that he believes Moore's 'ultimate goal' was to get a hefty loan against the property.
'Most people worry about someone breaking into their home. They don't think about someone trying to steal the house itself,' the sheriff said.
He urged other homeowners to pay attention to unusual mail, changes to utility bills or other suspicious activity.
'A recorded fraudulent deed doesn't automatically make someone the lawful owner, but it can create the appearance of ownership in public records, and correcting those records may be difficult, expensive and time-consuming,' he added.
Source link
