Kennewick “House Squatters’ Assault Maintenance Man, 2 Suspects Sought

Two men hiding out, or perhaps "squatting" (living illegally) in a repo house in Kennewick are being sought after assaulting and robbing a maintenance man.

  Monday afternoon Kennewick police were notified that a 40-year-old maintenance-repairman was punched in the stomach and robbed at an empty house at 617 North Volland.

Around 2:20 pm,  officers learned that Ryan L. Hibbs of MS Property Maintenance from Kennewick had been asked by the lien holder on the home, Bank of America, to perform a home inspection.   The home had been taken back by the bank, and had been unoccupied for some time.

Upon arrival Hibbs found the rear sliding door was open.   He searched the house and found no one on the main level, but when he went downstairs into the basement, two men attacked him.    They pulled a knife, one of them punched Hibbs in the stomach.  They stole his wallet and got away with several hundred dollars cash.

The two men were described as Hispanic, young, in their mid 20's.   Because they were wearing hooded sweatshirts with the drawstrings pulled tightly,  Hibbs was not able to give police a complete facial description.

The suspects fled out the back sliding door, last seen heading Westbound on foot.  A Kennewick K-9 unit was dispatched and searched the area, but were not able to apprehend the suspects.

Authorities didn't say if they found any evidence to indicate the men had been living there for any amount of time.    Due to our healthy real estate market,  squatting has not been a huge issue in Tri-Cities.  But in numerous other communities that were hit hard by the real estate 'crisis' a few years ago,  police have had a growing problem with criminals, homeless people and others taking up residence in empty foreclosed homes.

The investigation continues,  Kennewick police are asking anyone who may have seen the two men near the home, or anyone with more information to anonymously call Tri-Cities Crime Stoppers at (509)-586-TIPS (8477).