Homeowners in Madisonville, Texas, who reported the theft of their home to police on Friday got some good news: The structure has been located. But it's too soon for them to relax yet.
On Friday, Jo and Lonnie Harrison, a couple from Houston reported the missing house to police after they went to their vacation home and discovered it was completely gone from their 10-acre property in Madisonville.
The Harrisons say the one-bedroom, one-bathroom prefab home was their vacation home that they purchased last year. The cabin has a green roof and wood siding.
The retired couple told ABC-13 that they purchased the home to escape the busy city life. They last visited the house in early November. But last Friday, when they returned, the entire house was gone.
An investigation by the Madison County Sheriff's Department found that the building had been repossessed by a company in Temple, Texas, for nonpayment.
Sergeant Larry Shiver told ABC-13, "It was part of the deal, but the problem was it wasn't specified in the writing. Yes, we feel sorry for them. That's why we're looking to find the house. They had belongings in the house. Plus, they put time and effort into the house."
The couple says that when they arrived on Friday, the only traces of the home that were left were cinder blocks and pipes sticking out of the ground.
They reported the missing house to the Madison County Sheriff’s Department. Jo Harrison recalled telling police: "'You know this is really going to sound strange, but I need to report a stolen house.' They were like, 'A house?' I said yes. We have 10 acres and had a little cabin, and the cabin is gone. … We really would like to have our house back."
Shiver said records don't show the building listed on the property. He suggested anyone looking to purchase land visit their local tax assessor and run the transaction through a title company.
Watch the video from ABC-13.
Source: "Mystery Solved: Police Find Couple's Missing Vacation Home" and “‘I Need to Report a Stolen House!’: Houston Couple Wants Vacation Home Back,” ABC-13 (Feb. 6, 2018)
