BOCA RATON, Fla. — The owner of a real estate company who was the victim of a complex, real estate theft case back in December is now dealing with an insurance claim issue related to the case.
“My house got broken into right after I put new appliances in,” Marshall Sklar, owner of Florida Best Reality, told WPTV.
Contact 5 first reported it back in December. Sklar’s real estate property was one of several properties that were broken into by the same two thieves.
According to the court documents, the thieves stole all of the brand new appliances from each of the properties.
"Evidently, they broke into the side door and they just used a screwdriver, because the bolt wasn't done all the way, and just popped it open,” Beth Wigder with Rebuild Properties, another victim, said.
"I couldn't believe it. I thought, maybe with work being done, they moved it out of the way, because they were reconfiguring the kitchen," Kim Spadavecchia, one of Sklar’s realtors, said in December. "I called my broker, Marshall, and said, 'Hey, where are the appliances?' And that's when we realized it was all stolen."
Sklar reached back out to Contact 5 this week, because he recently found out his claim he filed with his credit card company’s insurance division was denied.
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“I get an email and a letter in the mail saying we’re sorry, your claim is denied,” Sklar said. “In big bold letters was, it’s denied, because you didn’t take reasonable care of the product.”
Sklar said the company told him this was based on the report he filed with the Palm Beach County’s Sheriff’s Office, which noted a side door that was open when deputies arrived on scene.
“I don’t know of many thieves that actually go, break in, steal $10,000 in appliances and then, as a courtesy, they lock the door on their way out,” Sklar said.
Sklar is now fighting the insurance claim denial.
“First thing I did, I appealed for the third time with the insurance company. Next thing I did, is I filed a complaint with the Florida attorney general," he said. "I also filed a complaint with the federal government. There’s an insurance fraud department.”
Contact 5 reached out to Sklar’s credit card company via email on Thursday morning and has not heard back.
Sklar told Contact 5 this is not only about the money, but the principle of the matter and he plans to keep fighting it.
“I’m not going stop until I get justice, not just for me, but for every other person that was defrauded by this company,” Sklar said.
