Local realtor raped on the job

The St. Joseph County Special Victims Unit is investigating the rape of a realtor preparing to show a home in the 1500 block of N. Olive Street.

The incident happened on Thursday afternoon.

A SVU spokesperson says as of Monday, there aren’t any suspects and a description is not yet available. More information from investigators is expected on Tuesday morning.

As a realtor with Coldwell Banker in South Bend and Board President of the Elkhart County Board of Realtors, Tom Canarecci says local safety efforts will be heightened in response to the attack.

“Initially I guess I had two reactions, first of all you have concern for whoever it might be and their well-being and safety and then number two, honestly a little bit of anger. You’re upset that something like this happens to one of your colleagues,” says Canarecci.

Canarecci says his team is acting quick. The board will hold a meeting on Thursday to talk realtor safety and have plans of putting together a new task force.

“When something like this happens it makes us double down our efforts. This is making us take a look at what we’ve done in the past and how we can improve it. We’re going to get together and talk about safety and how we can better implicate the tools and the safety techniques,” says Canarecci.