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Building manager accused of pillaging dead man’s treasures
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SAN FRANCISCO (Map, News) - A dead tenant, missing precious stones and antiques, and an inquisitive family member — and it’s not a movie.
The building manager at a posh Pacific Heights apartment building is facing several counts of burglary after police found him Wednesday in possession of more than $100,000 in precious stones and antique guns allegedly pilfered from a dead tenant.
Police found a trove of booty in the apartment of Jim Sozzi, 42, including eight antique revolvers, a Colt .45, a Remington .380, diamonds, pearls, gold chains, rings, amethysts and amber. The treasure apparently belonged to a recently deceased gemologist who lived above Sozzi at 2070 Pacific Ave.
After the elderly jewelry wholesaler died Feb. 1, family became suspicious as they were working through his will. His nephew called police, and Officers Troy Carrasco and John Fergus from the Richmond Station went out to the apartment building. They found Sozzi — a convicted felon on parole until 2010 — in the foyer.
The officers soon learned that some of the guns in his apartment were loaded and they arrested Sozzi. He had apparently used a master key to the building to enter the dead man’s apartment at least three times to take his pick of the goods, according to police spokesman Sgt. Steve Mannina.
Police believe Sozzi had already pawned much of the jewelry. He was booked on several counts of burglary, possession of stolen property and firearms charges.
The Hanford-Freund and Co. property manager who is in charge of the building was out of town Thursday and unable to comment, a receptionist at the firm said.
Comments from Examiner Readers
8:45 PM MST on Fri., May. 9, 2008 re: "Building manager accused of pillaging dead man’s treasures"
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9:08 PM MST on Sat., May. 3, 2008
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9:27 AM MST on Wed., Apr. 30, 2008
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1:05 PM MST on Mon., Apr. 21, 2008
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8:56 PM MST on Fri., Apr. 18, 2008
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Examiner Reader said:
Jim Sozzi is in our thoughts and in our prayers. I feel sad that the examiner could publish such false statements about someone who may be suffering from a mental illness. No one should assume facts that are not held as evidence, What ever happened to "innocent until proven guilty" In closing, I'm not impressed with the author Brent Begin, his writing skills are that of a second grader.
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Examiner Reader said:
1st of all Jim turned himself and the jewels in to the property manager, the manager then told the family.The family then told the police who then arrested Jim. The jewels were all semi precious not worth much and He was not on parole! The jewlers estate was worth 60 million ..When the gemologist died Jim was contacted by the nephew who asked Jim to access the apt. Unknown to Jim at the time the nephew was not authorized by the family but talked Jim into accessing and rummaging through the dead mans property! Jim had done a lot of favors for the old guy over the years and the old guy also claimed that he would "take care of Jim!" That doesnt justify what Jim did however Jim was only getting 100.per week to manage the building obviously fueled the motive/ Also Jim is suffering from schizophrenia and is facing 10 years in state!
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Examiner Reader said:
Doesn't make sense to me. He lived and managed the building for at least some years, and then suddenly he decides to rob a flat of a dead tenant, knowing that family members would notice some stuff is missing?
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San Franciscan said:
To: "Examiner Reader." So... you know the whole story then? Why would you say it's bogus?
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Examiner Reader said:
my suggestion is to get more infomation about the whole story before you write soemthing. this is bogus
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