A man who was squatting in a multimillion-dollar mansion attempted to pawn about $300,000 in paintings from the property in San Francisco's Pacific Heights neighborhood, according to police.
Shortly before 5 p.m. Sunday, a real estate agent at a mansion in the 3000 block of Washington Street, near Alta Plaza Park, reported a man who was apparently not authorized to be on the premises, according to San Francisco police spokesman Officer Carlos Manfredi.
The mansion, which spans 21,000 square feet, was once valued at $21 million and was purchased by CNET founder Halsey Minor in 2007. Police said the mansion has sat vacant for years. It was put back on the market in 2013 when Minor filed for bankruptcy.
The real estate agent confronted the suspect, later identified as 39-year-old Jeremiah Henry Kaylor, and told him to leave the property, Manfredi said.
Kaylor left the home, apparently taking the paintings in a shipping crate via a moving truck and claiming the items were "junk" that belonged to him, police said.
Police said Kaylor was selling the art inside the home, adding that he sold 11 pieces of art through social media and to pawn shops.
When contacted by police, Kaylor said he was going to buy the property and even provided documents as proof. Police, however, said Kaylor was not telling the truth. Officers took him into custody, along with the art.
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Kaylor was charged with 10 counts of burglary. Nine of the 11 paintings have been recovered, and police said they have good leads pointing them to the remaining two.
Police said Kaylor's last known residence was in Dragoon, Arizona. It's not clear if he has an attorney.
The incident remains under investigation.
