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Vandals cause over $30K in damages to new Palm Bay home
Vandals caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage to a newly constructed home in Palm Bay, flooding the property and destroying parts of the interior, police and the contractor said.
PALM BAY, Fla. - Vandals caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage to a newly constructed home in Palm Bay, flooding the property and destroying parts of the interior, police and the contractor said.
The home on Banyan Street Southwest was discovered damaged after a neighbor noticed water seeping from the garage and alerted the listing agent.
What happened?
The backstory:
The destruction was discovered after a neighbor noticed water seeping out of the home's garage and alerted the listing agent. Upon entering, the team found a scene of calculated chaos. Vandals had plugged every faucet in the house and left them running overnight.
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While the suspects attempted to break in through several windows, they struggled to fully shatter many of them because the home was equipped with hurricane-resistant glass. Inside, the home suffered massive flooding that destroyed the wood flooring and soaked the drywall.
Victims sound off
What they're saying:
The financial and emotional toll on the crew is significant. Contractor Farris Soboh of Manzil Construction, who spent months building the home, says the repairs will be extensive and costly.
"A lot of flood damage," Soboh said. "We might have to hire a specialty mold remediation contractor."
Soboh estimates the damage to the drywall, windows, appliances—including the refrigerator—and floors will cost between $30,000 and $40,000.
Because of the extent of the repairs, the home’s debut on the market will be delayed by at least a month. Soboh said he will likely have to pay for the repairs out of pocket.
The investigation
The Palm Bay Police Department processed the scene on Banyan Street SW, but because of the home’s proximity to "The Compound," an area known for its lack of infrastructure and isolation, leads have been hard to find.
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"This is a very isolated area where there’s not really any proper infrastructure," Soboh noted.
In a statement to FOX 35, Palm Bay Police said:
"Our officers processed the scene and conducted a neighborhood canvass. Unfortunately, there are no leads. Since these incidents, our officers have been by the residence for security checks."
The victims are asking anyone in the area to check their security camera footage from February 25 through the beginning of March.
"See if we could find the people responsible," Preisendanz urged.
If you can share any information, call Palm Bay police and reference the report numbers: 26-001661 and 26-001752.
Tips to protect property
What you can do:
To prevent similar incidents, especially in new builds or vacant properties, Palm Bay Police recommend the following safety measures:
- Make it look lived-in: Install blinds or curtains so vandals can't see that the home is empty.
- Lighting: Use timers to leave interior lights on at night and install exterior motion-sensor lights.
- Maintain the exterior: Keep the lawn staged and tidy. Do not leave construction debris or tools outside, as these can be used to break into the structure.
- Surveillance: Install active motion sensors and cameras that upload to the cloud to ensure you have a record of any activity on the site.
The Source: FOX 35 Reporter Esther Bower first visited the property on March 10. She returned on March 13 to see all the work underway. She spoke with volunteers and the homeowner again about the progress.