By Matt Winterhalter<br><a href="mailto:winterhalerm@gnnewspaper.com">E-mail Matt</a>
Niagara Gazette
August 07, 2008 09:02 pm
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If you're not careful, even something as simple as selling a computer over the Internet can get you into a lot of trouble.
A Linwood Avenue resident learned that the hard way last month after Falls police say the person he was dealing with on the popular Internet classified site Craigslist not only burglarized his home, but set it on fire as well.
On Thursday, Falls detectives made an arrest in the case, charging Christopher P. Klem, 18, 165 Claremont Ave., Buffalo, with second-degree burglary, second-degree arson and third-degree grand larceny.
Falls Detective Capt. Ernest Palmer said Klem admitted to the July 31 burglary after being interviewed for several hours by detectives.
Klem told police he contacted the victim after spotting a computer for sale ad on Craigslist. Through text messaging, Palmer said Klem was able to determine when the victim wouldn’t be at home.
“He actually committed the crime about 1 p.m.,” Palmer said of Klem. He broke in through a rear patio door, pulled his vehicle into the garage and loaded up about $25,000 in computers and various electronics.
Though Klem wouldn’t admit to it Thursday, Palmer said Klem also started a fire in the home to cover up the burglary.
“It’s pretty clear it was arson,” Palmer said. “There are two seperate points where the fire started.”
Falls firefighters reported July 31 that the fire was set in the dining room-area of the residence. It was quickly contained by firefighters but still caused about $30,000 in damage.
In the end it wouldn’t have mattered if the house had burned to the ground, Klem’s decision on where to unload some his loot was his ultimate undoing, Palmer said.
Klem took some of the stolen items to a Gamestop store in Buffalo. The victim, a Gamestop employee at another location, made sure his fellow employees knew what to look for in case someone came in with items for sale.
“The victim had been on the lookout for any of the property popping up,” Palmer said.
Information Klem provided to the store helped lead police right to him.
For Palmer, the case was just the latest example of why people should limit the amount of information they’re giving out to strangers on the Internet.
“In this day and age it’s becoming easier and easier for people to fall prey to different types of scams,” he said.
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