In Delaware and across nation, illegal parties bring mayhem
When the housing bubble burst and the foreclosure crisis hit, vacant homes began to dot neighborhoods, in the process creating an opportunity.
These dwellings – bought by optimistic families well above market value or hopeful couples before their job situation changed – have now become the scenes of wild parties, where organizers advertise on social network sites such as Facebook and host nights of drinking and revelry, often at a profit and usually catering to underage crowds.
Sometimes, when they get out of hand, police are called and the parties are broken up. Other times, the partying goes on for hours. In both situations, left behind are frustrated neighbors and ravaged houses.
Few know how long these parties of opportunity have been going on in Delaware.
But recently, several residents in the Timber Farms development near Newark were awakened in the middle of the night by a man ringing doorbells and pounding on their front doors.
The 20-year-old had been shot in the head at a party in the calm neighborhood featuring $350,000 homes and security systems off Old Baltimore Pike, and was frantically searching for help.
The incident sent ripples of fear through the community.
Civic leaders see why the now-leased house was attractive for a party -- it was furnished, the utilities were on, air conditioning cooled the summer night. The home had been vacant for six months.
"They broke into a vacant house and had this party, with more than 100 people there, advertised it on Facebook for 10 bucks a head and $3 a drink," said Bob Oakes, treasurer of the Timber Farms Civic Association. He said the advertisement read, "Must show ID" -- "like the whole thing was legal."
That's how Delaware joined "the newest national crime trend, holding illegal parties in vacant and foreclosed houses," said New Castle County Councilman David Tackett, whose district includes Timber Farms.
In the days after the July 18 party, more than 200 Timber Farms residents communicated by e-mail. They talked about everything from tips on using peroxide to remove the blood on their steps to the shock of waking to gunfire.
When the housing bubble burst and the foreclosure crisis hit, vacant homes began to dot neighborhoods, in the process creating an opportunity.
These dwellings – bought by optimistic families well above market value or hopeful couples before their job situation changed – have now become the scenes of wild parties, where organizers advertise on social network sites such as Facebook and host nights of drinking and revelry, often at a profit and usually catering to underage crowds.
Sometimes, when they get out of hand, police are called and the parties are broken up. Other times, the partying goes on for hours. In both situations, left behind are frustrated neighbors and ravaged houses.
Few know how long these parties of opportunity have been going on in Delaware.
But recently, several residents in the Timber Farms development near Newark were awakened in the middle of the night by a man ringing doorbells and pounding on their front doors.
The 20-year-old had been shot in the head at a party in the calm neighborhood featuring $350,000 homes and security systems off Old Baltimore Pike, and was frantically searching for help.
The incident sent ripples of fear through the community.
Civic leaders see why the now-leased house was attractive for a party -- it was furnished, the utilities were on, air conditioning cooled the summer night. The home had been vacant for six months.
"They broke into a vacant house and had this party, with more than 100 people there, advertised it on Facebook for 10 bucks a head and $3 a drink," said Bob Oakes, treasurer of the Timber Farms Civic Association. He said the advertisement read, "Must show ID" -- "like the whole thing was legal."
That's how Delaware joined "the newest national crime trend, holding illegal parties in vacant and foreclosed houses," said New Castle County Councilman David Tackett, whose district includes Timber Farms.
In the days after the July 18 party, more than 200 Timber Farms residents communicated by e-mail. They talked about everything from tips on using peroxide to remove the blood on their steps to the shock of waking to gunfire.
Then, hitting links on the original Facebook invitation, civic president Bruce Lipphardt said, "I found the invitation to the second party" planned for July 24.
"Can you imagine the nerve?" Oakes said. "After a kid nearly gets shot to death, another party at the same house?"
Lipphardt called police July 22 and more residents called 911 on July 24 as they watched partygoers enter through the garage.
Police descended. Two suspects were arrested. "There were 11 police cars, officers out with shotguns and one with a bullhorn," Oakes said. "They did the whole, 'Come out with your hands up, we have the house surrounded' thing."
Tackett is drafting a measure to register vacant properties.
From California to Florida to Delaware, party organizers employ similar strategies.
"It was a new thing for us last summer," said Detective Jeff Lauhon of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.
A self-dubbed "party crew" toured homes that were for sale, learning whether they were occupied and whether utilities were turned on. During the tour, they would open or unlock doors and windows, he said. Then, on MySpace, "they'd give you a telephone number to call to get texted the location of the party."
Most parties, with drunken brawls and crowds of more than 500, left $10,000 to $20,000 in damage, he said. "Graffiti, broken toilets ... carpet would be stained with vomit, urine, beer. People would stumble and put their heads through the drywall."
By undercover work and investigation, he said, "we ended up arresting all the ringleaders." They were charged with felonies for intent to steal utilities, he said, so "they got to spend about six months in jail."
Steady enforcement, high-profile prosecutions and public awareness killed the trend, he said: "We recognized it as a problem pretty quickly and put a lot of effort into making it stop."
New Castle County detectives conducted more than 30 interviews before arresting and charging Warren May, 18, in the Timber Farms shooting. Police said the victim tried to aid a friend May was fighting with and May shot him. A bullet lodged behind his left eye, but he is expected to recover.
Charged with first-degree assault and firearm possession during a felony, May was sent to Young Correctional Institution and is being held on $150,000 bail. He is awaiting trial.
Police also arrested a 16-year-old and 17-year-old. At one time, the 17-year-old's family rented the house.
Both were charged with first-degree criminal trespass and third-degree conspiracy, both misdemeanors. They were later charged with felony counts of second-degree burglary and second-degree conspiracy and misdemeanor criminal mischief.
But after a plea bargain in which some charges were dropped, civic association vice president David Frampton said residents were upset to see the 17-year-old leave Family Court, grinning and high-fiving friends.
"We're very disappointed," he said.
By ROBIN BROWN • The News Journal
