Once homeowner of Via Laguna residence, Robert Acosta along with wife Monique are charged with deliberately damaging their 6 bedroom tract home in Riverside County. Robert Acosta stands accused by Riverside County Sheriff Office of purposely vandalizing the foreclosed house in southwest Riverside.
The building suffers stones broken off smashed facade, dye poured into its carpets, garage door torn off and taken away. Total damage estimate comes to over $200,000 according to court records.
Damage is extensive, all done with “obvious malice”. This pushes the case into criminal behavior realm, Riverside County sheriff’s Sgt. Mike Hatfield said.
Home Foreclosure
Robert Acosta, charged with a felony in connection with damaging this property located in French Valley Area is a 39 year old San Diego Police Officer.
Court records report that other damages include home appliances, light fixtures, wiring ripped out and trees thrown into the swimming pool, according to court records.
Robert Acosta with 35 year old wife Monique Evette Acosta are also charged with removal amounting to theft of items from the mortgaged property with the intent to defraud or injure. If convicted they face up to four years in prison, district attorney’s spokesman John Hall said.
Both Acostas current address is listed with the court is San Diego, Calif. They could not be reached for comment.
Robert is today on administrative leave from the San Diego Police Department, said spokesman Gary Hassen. He chose not to elaborate on the case.
Damaging foreclosed property isn’t uncommon. Angry people often trash the place on their way out in spite of the fact residents are commonly threatened not to damage foreclosed properties. Frequently lenders pay REO (real estate owned) Agents to repossess, maintain then list foreclosed homes.
What does fend off foreclosed property damaged cases is that lenders are reluctant to file charges since burden-of-proof falls on them.
However when appliances are stolen or destroyed from foreclosed properties, that ups the odds of winning a law suite for damages and loss.
In the case of the Acostas, San Diego Metropolitan Credit Union had given them notice to move out of the home, located in an unincorporated area near Murrieta.
Tina Medrud, a credit union representative had gone to inspect the residence only to discover it had been vandalized inside and out, court records show.
Gates, flagstone patio and walkway were gone, decorative facade smashed and broken away from the side of the home, also the outdoor fireplace. Walls throughout the home were sprayed with black paint.
Missing were the air conditioners, decorative beams, counter tops, cabinets, fixtures and woodwork. A hallway stone floor was destroyed, wiring had been pulled out of walls then cut.
Medrud reported damages to the Sheriff’s Department, stating that Acostas had unsuccessfully attempted to modify their home loan and the credit union had begun foreclosure proceedings, according to court records.
Reportedly in e-mails provided to investigators by the credit union and quoted in a declaration in support of a search warrant, Monique Acosta sent a note stating she thought she had been misled by credit union officials. In another missive she is said to have demanded a $10,000 payment in exchange for vacating the property while in good condition, according to court records.
Court records show that a witness reported witnessing Acostas removing items from the residence. Many of these were later recovered by investigators from Acostas’ San Diego storage units.
Reportedly outside the damaged house surrounded by by its weed-filled yard and dead lawn lay an icon of happier time– carved into a cement driveway, “The Acostas 2006.”
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