Mr. X

It's... kinda effective?

Age 30
Male
London
Seen July 1st, 2022
Posted June 12th, 2019
2,389 posts
16.6 Years
An Athens County woman is looking to get her belongings back after a bank incorrectly broke into her house and took them.

Katie Barnett says that the First National Bank in Wellston foreclosed on her house, even though it was not her bank.

"They repossessed my house on accident, thinking it was the house across the street," Barnett said.

Barnett, who had been away from the house for about two weeks, said she had to crawl through the window of her own house in order to get in after she used her own key that did not work.

Some of the items in her house had been hauled away, others were sold, given away and trashed.

It turns out the bank sent someone to repossess the house located across the street from Barnett's house, but by mistake broke into hers instead.

"They told me that the GPS led them to my house," Barnett said. "My grass hadn't been mowed and they just assumed."

She called the McArthur Police about the incident, but weeks later, the chief announced the case was closed.

Barnett said that according to the bank president, this was the first time something like this has happened.

She presented him with an $18,000 estimate to replace the losses, but the president refused to pay.

"He got very firm with me and said, 'We're not paying you retail here, that's just the way it is,'" Barnett said. "I did not tell them to come in my house and make me an offer. They took my stuff and I want it back."

The shock of having her house broken into and belongings taken by mistake has now turned into anger.

"Now, I'm just angry," Barnett said. "It wouldn't be a big deal if they would step up and say 'I'm sorry, we will replace your stuff.' Instead, I'm getting attitude from them. They're sarcastic when they talk to me. They make it sound like I'm trying to rip the bank off. All I want is my stuff back."

No one from the bank would go on camera with 10TV about the incident. The bank vice president told 10TV News that the bank is trying to come to terms with Barnett.
http://www.10tvtogo.com/wap/news/text.jsp?sid=40&nid=3355439430&cid=21017&scid=-1&ith=4&title=Local+News&headtitle=Local+News

All hail the almighty bank, that which never has and never will do any wrong!

Here's hoping she can sue the bank over this, get her restitution. And here's hoping that the police actually get of their asses and press charges against the people who broke into her house and stole her belongings, as well as the bank employee's that gave the order to do so.

Riolucario11

Bubbly Wubbly Pony Waifu

Age 23
Female
In Wonderland, having tea with the Mad Hatter~
Seen September 15th, 2013
Posted August 4th, 2013
25 posts
9.8 Years
Sending a man out to a house to take her things, if you do this, even by using GPS, shouldn't that man have proper information? Instead of saying "Yo, Barty! That one house on that one road needs to be foreclosed! Go do it!" And telling the guy to use his GPS to get there, at least confirm and everything before you wreck the place and change the locks!

What insanity.

~Madness~?

Trev

i gave you everything...

Age 26
Male
Seen December 31st, 2021
Posted March 27th, 2019
1,505 posts
11 Years
There's never a dull moment in this world.

The bank absolutely should replace all her stuff, right down to every spoon. They were complete idiots and made a humongous mistake, and then acted like total jerks about it when she tried to get compensation? They shouldn't even be allowed to be a bank.

Mr. X

It's... kinda effective?

Age 30
Male
London
Seen July 1st, 2022
Posted June 12th, 2019
2,389 posts
16.6 Years
She should get restitution but I don't have a whole lot of hope for this.

Many banks have admited to falsifying morgage records and not only did they got off practically scottfree, they still managed to use these false records to screw people out of their houses.

I don't see much happening to this bank - At this point people expect a bank to be completely full of ****, and at this point not enough people care enough to force them to change.

donavannj

Age 32
Male
'cause it get cold like Minnesota
Seen 5 Days Ago
Posted 2 Weeks Ago
22,513 posts
18.2 Years
This is why I personally only use GPS to get me in the general area of something. Nothing beats checking the actual house number on the house itself to find out if it's the right place.

Sweet mercy some people have too much faith in GPS technology these days. It's still somewhat inaccurate.

That bank should definitely refund her all $18,000 worth of stuff.
whoops

Overlord Drakow

Banned

Down Under
Seen November 6th, 2019
Posted November 5th, 2019
3,654 posts
15.6 Years
I don't really like topics like this to be honest. By which I mean there's not much if anything to even argue about. It's blatantly obvious that she should get her stuff back, based on the provided information so I don't even see the point in discussing this any further.

Esper

California
Seen June 30th, 2018
Posted June 30th, 2018
I don't really like topics like this to be honest. By which I mean there's not much if anything to even argue about. It's blatantly obvious that she should get her stuff back, based on the provided information so I don't even see the point in discussing this any further.
Let's then broaden the discussion to banks in general. Here are some discussion points that this little article raises.

Are banks bad for people? Are they a necessary evil? Are they a positive force in society?

Should banks be allowed to foreclose on people's houses, kick them out and take their stuff, in the first place? Do people have a right to shelter (like we have a right to life or free speech)?

FreakyLocz14

Conservative Patriot

Male
Seen August 29th, 2018
Posted August 28th, 2018
3,497 posts
14 Years
She should get restitution but I don't have a whole lot of hope for this.

Many banks have admited to falsifying morgage records and not only did they got off practically scottfree, they still managed to use these false records to screw people out of their houses.

I don't see much happening to this bank - At this point people expect a bank to be completely full of ****, and at this point not enough people care enough to force them to change.
People can act by moving their money to a reputable bank or a credit union. If our lawmakers won't act, then we should!

Songbird

Tonight, the marigolds bloom for her.

Female
Seen 2 Days Ago
Posted March 3rd, 2023
554 posts
9.9 Years
Why would they not bother to look at the house number on the front of the house? O__o
Because they're complete idiots, apparently. How they could drive to the house without presumably hurting someone else is amazing in itself.

The bank also apparently believes they're above the law. Frankly, they should be charged with robbery, and breaking and entering, among any other related charges for damages and the like — it was the wrong house, and it's not even a house they legally could have foreclosed on in the first place!

Silais

That useless reptile

Female
Seen July 16th, 2016
Posted August 27th, 2015
297 posts
9.8 Years
Banks and big corporations always believe they are above the law because they're massive businesses that most people and politicians do not want to deal with. In many cases, they actually ARE above the law; not legally, but they're so powerful that they might as well be.

Mr. X

It's... kinda effective?

Age 30
Male
London
Seen July 1st, 2022
Posted June 12th, 2019
2,389 posts
16.6 Years
People can act by moving their money to a reputable bank or a credit union. If our lawmakers won't act, then we should!
And that is the issue - No reputable banks left, and the big banks are slowing working to kill off the credit unions.

Mr. X

It's... kinda effective?

Age 30
Male
London
Seen July 1st, 2022
Posted June 12th, 2019
2,389 posts
16.6 Years
Bank issued a statement on this. Essentially, they aren't going to pay her back because she doesn't have reciepts that show proof of ownership or the value of them. They are, of course, ignoring the fact that they pretty much stripped her house bare and that whatever reciepts she did have, they made sure to destroy.

But it's not ALL bad news. The bank is trying to make up for their mistake. They've offered to replace her bowflex ultimate home gym... With one that they found laying by the road.

http://www.10tv.com/content/stories/2013/07/26/wellston-bank-issues-statement-about-home-it-wrongfully-foreclosed-upon-balks-at-paying-up.html