The guest suspected of selling furniture from a house she had rented through Airbnb in Balneário Rincão, in the south of Santa Catarina, was indicted by the Civil Police for qualified theft through fraud.
The investigation was concluded this Friday (2) by the 1st Police Station of Criciúma and forwarded to the Judiciary. Airbnb reported that it suspended the guest's account while it investigates the case (read note at the end of the report). Her name was not released.
👉The penalty for this type of crime is two to eight years in prison, in addition to a fine, according to the Penal Code.
Guest is suspected of selling Airbnb furniture in SC — Photo: Personal archive
Woman introduced herself as a hospital nurse
In an interview with g1, the owner, who preferred not to be identified, said that the reservation was made for the morning of September 23rd by a woman who introduced herself as a nurse from a hospital in the region.
The next day, she asked how long she could stay at the property. The owner informed her that she would leave by 1pm, and she replied that she would leave the house at noon.
After the agreed time, the owner went to the location to organize the property. Still through the window, he noticed that several objects had disappeared.
"I already noticed that the things were no longer there. At that moment, I already saw that something had happened, that the furniture had already been taken, that something wrong had happened", said the owner.
He called the police and filed a police report.
When seeking information from neighbors, he got a photo of a moving truck that would have been used to remove the furniture (see photo below).
He also discovered that, in order not to arouse suspicion, the investigated woman had told the residents that she had purchased the property and was its new owner.
The man told g1 that the items, valued at R$17,000, were sold for just R$3,800 to a used furniture store in Içara.
According to the police, the woman used her own identity when registering on the hosting platform, which contributed to the identification.
Photo shows moving truck used to transport Airbnb furniture — Photo: Civil Police
🛋️ According to the Civil Police, the following were taken:
Two box beds;
Four bedside tables;
A sofa;
Three stools;
A bathroom counter;
A 32-inch television;
A washing and drying machine;
A refrigerator.
Suspect is also investigated for scams against the family
During the investigation, the police contacted the parents of the person being investigated. According to the Civil Police, they reported that the daughter is responsible for other crimes, including an investigation for qualified theft conducted by the Içara Police Station to Combat Organized Crime (DPCO). They said they have not been in contact with her since May.
The family would also have registered a police report against the woman after fraudulent loans were made in the mother's own name.
According to delegate Márcio Neves, from Criciúma, the practice would have caused considerable harm to the mother. The value was not disclosed.
Efforts continue to locate the woman. There was no request for arrest, and the police are looking for her to give a statement voluntarily.
Photo shows suspect leaving rented house on Airbnb in SC — Photo: Personal archive
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What Airbnb says
Airbnb has suspended the account of the guest in question while it investigates the case.
Every reservation made on Airbnb comes with Host Damage Protection, which covers losses caused to hosts up to $3 million in the rare cases where items are damaged or stolen during a stay.
In addition, Airbnb has a team dedicated to serving public authorities that is also available to support any investigation related to the case.
Guest sold Airbnb furniture in SC — Photo: Personal archive
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