SPOKANE, Wash. — A Spokane woman believes thieves broke into a home she owns and set up a yard sale in the front yard.
Karen Fournier bought the property on North Ruby a year ago with plans to start a nonprofit called "Covenant Homes and Resources."
"It will help pregnant women, youth under 18 and people that — I call it the "American dream program" — because anyone that wants a home should be able to have one," Fournier said. "I was on drugs for 17 years and homeless for most of that. That's what set me up to want to help other people in that type of situation."
She collected donated items from the community for a yard sale, which would help her get things started at the nonprofit.
"First thing we need to do is get an electric panel," Fournier said.
When she came in on Saturday to set up, she found about $1,000 worth of items she planned to sell were gone.
"When I first walked in, the door was ajar and the window was broken," Fournier said.
She said it looked like someone moved the furniture around and used the items to put on their own yard sale.
What tipped her off was a yard sale sign tacked to a tree in front of the house. But it wasn't like any of the signs she hand made for her yard sale.
She's certain it's someone she doesn't know.
After she bought the property, Fournier wanted to start helping people right away. So she made it a point to get to know the homeless in the area.
"A lot of them helped us watch the property," Fournier said.
Around the corner from the "no trespassing" sign that hangs in her window, Fournier posted a handwritten note.
It says, "Stay out, this is a nonprofit for housing. We were going to have a big sale on Saturday. I cried for 30 minutes. I would have given you what you needed."
"I still try to think the best of people," Fournier said.
A spokesperson with the Spokane Police Department confirmed that officers did receive a report of a burglary at vacant home. The owner said various items were taken.
At this time, police do not have any suspects but encourage anyone with information to call Crime Check.
