Expectant couple says Detroit home robbed after fire

**Zacha341** · July-09-12, 09:24 PM

This is the kind of thing that lets you know how base things are getting! I hope this couple gets donations to help replace what their 'neighbors' stole after fire was set....

'The Sheffields were staying with family to escape the heat during the power outages last week and learned their house burned down on Sunday.

"All the stuff I got from the baby shower, it's just gone," Brittani Sheffield said.

"It's horrible," John Sheffield remarked.

Even more horrible is how the fire started. Next to the house are two empty gas cans Sheffields say don't belong to them. They say a neighbor bragged about starting the fire so he could break in and steal their stuff, and it appears the break in was a community effort.

"One of the neighbors said there were vans like here like while the fire department was here. They didn't even give them the chance to really leave and completely put out the fire. They were here pulling up trucks just taking out stuff," Brittani Sheffield explained.

"We saw our stuff on some of our neighbors' porches. Some of our things that we had used to make our home, they had already taken them. Our washer and dryer was already gone. Anything that was probably salvageable was taken." '

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/18...bed-after-fire

**downtown_racine** · July-09-12, 10:30 PM

If its true like the victims say then that is some sad crap. Gas cans still laying there too ? One looked decent with a nice pour spout ! Neighbor bragged about it ? Wow

Natural slave fire phantoms.

**Crumbled_pavement** · July-09-12, 10:44 PM

What's terrifying about this story is that neighbors would be willing to go to such extremes to get so little profit, yet on top of that, it was a cinch to pull off. Very sad.

**Crumbled_pavement** · July-09-12, 11:06 PM

Now that I think deeper into this story, it sounds like there must have been some type of feud or rivalry going on or this was done for insurance purposes. If this was a neighborhood effort just to rob this couple the neighbors could have accomplished the robbery without burning the house down. Something more serious than robbery is at play here. Still inexcusable that whatever crime happened here could be pulled off so easily.

**Goose** · July-09-12, 11:54 PM

at least it was a "community effort"...... working hand in hand in the D!!!

**jtf1972** · July-10-12, 12:27 AM

This is why Napalm was invented...

**daddeeo** · July-10-12, 07:48 AM

Just warms your heart that we have such community minded people. "What's yours is mine."

**jpbollma** · July-10-12, 08:44 AM

These people should all just be shot if it's true. Wastes of human skin.

**Goose** · July-10-12, 10:37 AM

From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.

the family obviously had too much while others in the neighborhood went without.... it was only "fair"....... the nerve of them having a washer AND a dryer while some people hung their clothes out to dry....

**wolverine** · July-10-12, 06:21 PM

Will the family be pressing charges against the neighbors for either stealing and/or possession of stolen and misplaced property? Charges for arson?

**rex** · July-10-12, 07:48 PM

I remember the home across the street being baled The neighbors really came together as a community to pilfer the stuff on the curb.

**Zacha341** · July-10-12, 08:25 PM

UPDATE: Fox 2 viewer helps Detroit family that lost everything

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/18...ost-everything

**Detwa** · July-10-12, 09:26 PM

From that link posted by Zacha341:
Fox 2 was also contacted by a non-profit company called Southwest Housing. They say they want to help the Sheffields get into affordable housing so they can continue to rebuild their life.

I'm glad they will hopefully be moving. Makes no sense to move all of that stuff back into the same house for the neighbors to steal again.

**Zacha341** · July-10-12, 09:29 PM

Right! Even I did not leave Detroit, I'd leave that area - immediately!

Originally Posted by Detwa

From that link posted by Zacha341:
Fox 2 was also contacted by a non-profit company called Southwest Housing. They say they want to help the Sheffields get into affordable housing so they can continue to rebuild their life.

I'm glad they will hopefully be moving. Makes no sense to move all of that stuff back into the same house for the neighbors to steal again.

**LeannaM** · July-10-12, 11:40 PM

I wouldn't move back into that neighborhood for sure.

**Crumbled_pavement** · July-11-12, 12:19 AM

Originally Posted by LeannaM

I wouldn't move back into that neighborhood for sure.

I wouldn't move back to any neighborhood in the city. Not only were those particular neighbors so despicable to do such a thing [[destroy their own neighborhood for so little profit) but they felt confident they could get away with it and with the horrible city services they were right. This sends a very powerful message to criminal class that you can do any and everything in this city and you don't have to fear reprecussions. The fire dept. didn't investigate gas cans laying on the side of the house in clear view, the police dept. didn't come out to question neighbors as to how they came into possession of stolen property, basically this story shows a breakdown of civility in this city on every single level possible. Stories like this should shame the citizens, mayor and city council of this city. However, they will all just shrug their shoulders and say "oh well."

**daddeeo** · July-11-12, 02:01 PM

I used to wonder why some people said they would never set foot in the city again. Can't imagine why.

**Dave70** · July-11-12, 02:06 PM

Those who stole are true ghetto scum. I'll bet the Sheffields got that house for a steal and were just trying to be good citizens. Because they weren't hood rats they were targets. Years ago a comedian [[I forget who) talked about the same thing in the hood, neighbors stealing your stuff if you left it unguarded... f'n bullsht! Yeah keep it up and no one will ever want to move back to Detroit.

**poobert** · July-12-12, 08:37 AM

Am I the only one that smells bullshit?
So if they heard a neighbor talking about stealing their shit, why would they leave for the weekend?
Why in God’s name would they torch the house after robbing it? Even for ghetto scum, that only increases their chances of getting caught [[which does happen).
It sounds like these people wanted cash instead of the stuff or the house. It’s called insurance fraud.
Now everybody is sending them money. Hmm.

**brizee** · July-12-12, 10:06 AM

Originally Posted by poobert

Am I the only one that smells bullshit?
So if they heard a neighbor talking about stealing their shit, why would they leave for the weekend?
Why in God’s name would they torch the house after robbing it? Even for ghetto scum, that only increases their chances of getting caught [[which does happen).
It sounds like these people wanted cash instead of the stuff or the house. It’s called insurance fraud.
Now everybody is sending them money. Hmm.

I'm not buying it either.

It's like Bashara and the lady who's boyfriend shot her and set her on fire to avoid child support.

If the situation unfolded like the Sheffields say it did then it of course deplorable. I'm just convinced another shoe is gonna drop sooner or later.

**Crumbled_pavement** · July-12-12, 06:33 PM

Originally Posted by brizee

I'm not buying it either.

The story sounded a little fishy to me as well. However, the biggest issue I see is the city doesn't even investigate and regardless of what crime was committed in this instance, it's a cinch to get away with. I doubt this robbery/insurance fraud/arson/or whatever the crime was could be this easily pulled off in most places.

**thecarl** · July-12-12, 07:54 PM

Originally Posted by poobert

Am I the only one that smells bullshit?
So if they heard a neighbor talking about stealing their shit, why would they leave for the weekend?
Why in God’s name would they torch the house after robbing it? Even for ghetto scum, that only increases their chances of getting caught [[which does happen).
It sounds like these people wanted cash instead of the stuff or the house. It’s called insurance fraud.
Now everybody is sending them money. Hmm.

Poobert, the article says the family left the home because they were without electricity, and they sought relief from the heat at a relative's house which was air-conditioned. That's pretty consistent with a woman who's about ready to give birth [[and is v-e-r-y uncomfortable, nevermind the blistering hot July), and a spouse who's going to stay by her side. Also, my reading of the story shows 1) the house being set on fire before the robbery, and 2) the neighbor talking about stealing their belongings after the couple left, the ensuing fire, and the robbery.

Is my chronology way off, or is yours?

**poobert** · July-12-12, 10:06 PM

Originally Posted by thecarl

Poobert, the article says the family left the home because they were without electricity, and they sought relief from the heat at a relative's house which was air-conditioned. That's pretty consistent with a woman who's about ready to give birth [[and is v-e-r-y uncomfortable, nevermind the blistering hot July), and a spouse who's going to stay by her side. Also, my reading of the story shows 1) the house being set on fire before the robbery, and 2) the neighbor talking about stealing their belongings after the couple left, the ensuing fire, and the robbery.

Is my chronology way off, or is yours?

How or why in God's name would you rob a house after you set it on fire?? Please, tell me how you pull a washer and dryer out of a burning building?

Do you wait till the fire is out? In which case, the fire department has water-logged the place after it has burned up. Nothing would be salvagable.

Who overheard the neighbor, then?

I know of and have seen plenty of treacherous evil deeds in the D but this just makes no sense.

**Zacha341** · July-12-12, 10:14 PM

I thought about that too as I know of a family who had a house fire which highly damaged a quarter of the home. Nearly everything was ruined on some level [[burnt, smoke or water damaged, busted up from the firemen fighting the fire etc).

Perhaps the house was broken into and items removed BEFORE the flames started. I dunno... the who thing seems dysfunction at minimal. And perfectly so in that there is no investigation going forth due to the shortages in the policing and fire/ arson departments!

For sure there are area so predatory [[reported many times) where you go out the door to go work and in come the 'neighborhood' watch with impunity! As others look on and do nothing or purchase the goods as the are sold.

Originally Posted by poobert

How or why in God's name would you rob a house after you set it on fire?? Please, tell me how you pull a washer and dryer out of a burning building?

Do you wait till the fire is out? In which case, the fire department has water-logged the place after it has burned up. Nothing would be salvagable.

Who overheard the neighbor, then?

I know of and have seen plenty of treacherous evil deeds in the D but this just makes no sense.

**Scottathew** · July-12-12, 08:54 AM

This shit pisses me off.

If one of my neighbors homes burned down, I'd be opening my door to them and would help them out. But when it happens in Detroit, your neighbors redistribute your wealth.

Tree falls down in Detroit - people start driving on the sidewalk
Tree falls down in the suburbs - people get out their chainsaws and work together to clear the road

Why are some people in Detroit so disconnected from being a decent human being...