Homeowner 'Distraught' After Realtor Helped Himself to All of Her Pears: Video

A Vancouver woman is “distraught” after she says a realtor helped himself to all of the fruit in her yard while showing her home to prospective buyers.

Homeowner Jill Chan took to Facebook to accuse real estate agent Peter Yang of stealing pears and berries from her family home. According to Chan, Yang was showing the property to clients while no one was home when he started picking the fruit. Security footage from the home, obtained by VICE News, shows Yang collecting pears and stuffing them in a plastic bag.

Chan confirmed the incident to VICE News.

"After noticing our large pear tree and beautiful berry bushes in our garden, and taking advantage of the fact that we weren’t present on site, he started picking the fruit off the trees and eating it," Chan wrote in a since deleted Facebook post.

In the post, Chan alleges Yang, who is not the property’s listing agent, picked every single pear from her garden. She said the garden was her late grandma’s “pride and joy.”

“I don't think it's acceptable practice to bag up someone's entire garden at a home showing like a free market,” Chan wrote.

According to Chan, Yang also spat seeds all over her garden. “Who does this?” she wrote. “Truly appalling.”

In the post, Chan said Yang offered to return the fruit after her real estate agent told Yang the household had CCTV footage showing the alleged fruit heist. Chan reported the incident to Vancouver Police Department, but they said they can’t get involved unless something tangible is missing. Vancouver police told CBC News officers are now investigating the incident, and no arrest has been made.

Police officers visited Chan’s family late Monday, Chan said, adding the family isn’t pressing charges yet. Chan also contacted the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver. Board chair Colette Gerber told CTV News she cannot comment on an ongoing investigation, but said members who break rules are subject to fines up to $30,000.

The company that Yang works for, Luxmore Realty, apologized for the incident in a statement.

Managing broker Charles Zhou called Yang’s behaviour “irresponsible and unprofessional.”

“Peter also feels guilty and regrets over his mistakes. He is now in the process of making an official apology to the homeowner and also providing them with compensation,” Zhou said.

Zhou told VICE News that the brokerage had to remove Yang’s contact information from its website because he and his family are getting harassed nonstop.

“He made a mistake. But the society shouldn’t destroy a person and their family because of that,” Zhou said.

Zhou said Yang is still with the brokerage while the team waits for the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver to investigate.

Yang did not respond to requests for comment.

The Real Estate Council of British Columbia investigates complaints and imposes disciplinary sanctions against real estate professionals. Spokesperson Warren Mirko said the oversight body is unable to comment on specific cases unless a disciplinary hearing date has been set.

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