My neighbor ignored do not trespass signs and stole my entire $3,000 front porch - it's unclear what he was thinking

POLICE have revealed that a neighbor stole an entire porch from a homeowner despite several no-trespassing signs around the property.

In Arnco Mills, Georgia, a small town located about 42 miles southwest of Atlanta, resident Robin Swanger allegedly drove past the no-trespassing signs into his neighbor's yard and loaded up the detached porch earlier this month.

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The homeowners told authorities that the porch may have appeared as though it was abandoned, but it was not open for the taking, per what Coweta County Sheriff’s Office told local Fox outlet WAGA-TV.

During the subsequent investigation of what happened, the porch was then returned at one point and placed upside down on the property.

Authorities suspected Swanger was the porch pirate behind the theft — a term typically given to people who steal packages from porches — but didn't make an arrest until they were called to his home for a domestic disturbance report.

Swanger was arrested earlier this week for two counts of domestic violence and faces a felony charge for the porch theft.

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Investigator Chris Stapler explained that stealing the porch was no small theft, as it was fully complete and worth thousands.

“It’s a full 8′ by 10′ porch," he told the news outlet.

"It would be what goes onto a house for entry and exit.”

Stapler explained that the theft of something so large and valuable is nothing for residents to "shrug their shoulders" at.

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"Some people may shrug their shoulders and say it’s not a big deal, but when you take someone’s property without their consent, and the value of this porch is $3,000, you can’t just go and take stuff off someone’s property," the investigator said.

Police have not yet detailed a motive for the porch theft.

It also isn't the first time that neighbors have stolen thousands from each other.

Although they didn't have to struggle with loading and unloading a massive structure, a neighbor and HOA board member in one subdivision managed to steal about $80,000 from homeowners.

As the U.S. Sun previously reported, Machell Marie Sims took over the Germanna Heights HOA in Orange County, Virginia, after struggles during the height of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

Although it's unclear how, sometime later, homeowners in the Orange County neighborhood reportedly discovered that their HOA payments had been routed to a different account — Sims' checking.

Unlike the porch, the HOA cash was not returned.

Using a debit card opened for the HOA account on Sims' behalf, the neighbor used cash set aside for "street paving, streetlights, and community events" to shop for several personal items.

Sims allegedly made sales at retailers like Macy's and bought a brand-new Lexus vehicle, among other products.

In total, the neighbor spent about $79,720 from the HOA fund, as the account supposedly had just $280 remaining after her spending was discovered.

After she was taken into custody by police, Sims was given three felony charges of embezzlement, which she pleaded guilty to in April.

In court on July 31, 2023, she was sentenced to 15 years behind bars for each embezzlement charge, according to local ABC News outlet WRIC.

Those charges were ultimately suspended to just three years in prison with supervised probation after Sims' release.

For more neighbor content, check out The U.S. Sun's coverage of a homeowner who claimed their neighbor's gardening technique is dangerous, but the HOA won't take action.

The U.S. Sun also has the story of a homeowner who accused their neighbor of letting himself into their pool.

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