FALSE ADVERTS on the Internet classifieds network Craigslist that led to an Oregon man having many of his possessions stolen by opportunistic strangers weren't posted as a malicious prank or sinister revenge -- it was a daft scheme that was meant to cover a burglary.

Jackson County Sheriff's deputies apprehended a couple in Medford, Oregon on Monday, alleging that the pair stole two horse saddles and other goods from Robert Salisbury's garage a few days before placing the fake Craigslist posts.

The Sheriff's office traced the source of the Craiglist adverts to a computer owned by Brandon Herbert, 29, and Amber Herbert, 28. They had visited Salisbury's house because the property was listed for rent but otherwise had no connection with him. It said they posted the ads in an attempt to cover up their crime and sold the stolen saddles on the Internet.

The website postings claimed that Salisbury was forced to leave the state in a hurry and that all his belongings, including a horse, were free for the taking.

Michelle Easley felt sorry for the poor, supposedly abandoned horse and went out to Salisbury's home to claim it, but thought it odd that the horse seemed to be in good shape and well cared-for.

She rescued the horse but left a note on Salisbury's door. When a second post appeared on Craigslist, she called him to make sure the ads were legitimate.

Salisbury was staying temporarily near a work site at Emigrant Lake, almost a half day's drive away. He drove home when he got Easley's call about the ads.

When he arrived home, the householder found about 30 people ransacking his property and carrying off his belongings. When he protested, the trespassers waved printouts of the Craigslist postings and drove off with his stuff anyway.

"They honestly thought that because it appeared on the Internet it was true, " Salisbury told The Associated Press. "It boggles the mind."

Salisbury took down car licence numbers and called the Sheriff. When news of the hoax got out, some of his belongings were returned anonymously, but much of his property is still missing.

Brandon and Amber Herbert were charged with burglary, theft and computer crimes. If convicted, they're likely looking at some jail time and civil liability.

And tales that southern Oregon is still populated with gullible country folk are apparently not entirely unfounded.

The Associated Press story is here. µ

See Also
Man loses all his stuff in Craigslist hoax