Hoax Ad on Craigslist.com Costs an Oregon Man His Belongings

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A Jacksonville, OR man lost a great deal of his personal belongings Saturday after an ad showed up on Craigslist.com stating that the owner of the property had to leave and everything was free to take.

Robert Salisbury, is an independent contractor and was oblivious to the frenzy that was taking place at his residence. He was away from his home when he received a phone call from a woman that wished to claim his horse. The ad had stated that the horse had been 'declared abandoned by the sheriff's department' and was also free to take.

On his way home, Salisbury stopped a truck that was already loaded down with his ladders, mower and weed eater. "I informed them I was the owner, but they refused to give the stuff back. They showed me the Craigslist printout and told me they had the right to do what they did." Further down the road he saw other vehicles filled with items belonging to him as well.

Once home, Salisbury found nearly 30 people on his property going through the contents of his barn and front porch. The people were relentless and refused to stop. "They honestly thought that because it appeared on the Internet it was true," Salisbury said. "It boggles the mind."

Jackson County sheriff's Detective Sgt. Colin Fagan said any items taken can be returned with no questions asked. He also warned that anyone found to be in possession of Salisbury's property will likely face prosecution.

The Craigslist legal team is working with investigators to trace the origin of the ad.