Family offers warning after late relative’s home is burglarized

By TAYLOR BROWN

tbrown@yourmvi.com

The family of a Monessen woman who died this week wants to pass along a warning to Mon Valley residents after her home was broken into during the funeral.

Robert Sawyer, who lives in Slovakia, said his grandmother passed away Saturday in Hallsworth House.

She had a home in Monessen, but had lived in the Hallsworth House for the past several months.

Sawyer flew in Sunday for the funeral, which was held Wednesday. As the family was finalizing the arrangements, two of his family members went to her home to prepare it for a wake they were planning to host.

“We got to the house in the morning and noticed there was an iced tea bottle on the patio, but did not think much of it,” he said. “Then as we walked through the house, we noticed dirt in various places.

“As we started setting things up, we realized something seemed off and then found the basement door open.”

Sawyer’s family notified police, who met family at the home later Wednesday afternoon to collect evidence.

They have provided a list of stolen items to police, but Sawyer said Friday that they had not received any additional information regarding the case.

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