Tens of thousands in goods stolen from home of Federal Way man who died

Thieves got away with thousands of dollars worth in art, watches, and other unique goods by breaking into the empty home of a Federal Way man who died. 

The incident happened either Wednesday night or Thursday morning.

A local business, Van Erp Estate Services, had been working in the home for the last few weeks prepping the house and the items for an estate sale. 

"It’s sad for the executor. It’s sad for us. It’s sad to even have to deal with this thing," said Victor Calvo. 

Calvo is the owner of Van Erp Estate Services. He says in this situation, the homeowner had passed away, and had no family. The executor of the estate hired his company to sell the belongings inside the home. 

Calvo says his team spent weeks prepping the home for sale, but a few days before they were scheduled to open the home’s doors to buyers, someone broke through the door instead. 

RELATED: 'We're all living in fear:' Federal Way community members say they're fed up about crime

"I still feel sick eight hours later," said Calvo. 

Calvo reports hundreds of watches, signed pieces of art, and other unique items were stolen. He said the value of the lost goods is about $30,000 to $40,000 and since they work entirely on commission, that will cost him. 

"It pays for two, three employees, four employees, for the weekend, and now that will come out of our pocket. We’ll have to pay for that," he said. 

Calvo called the police but hopes sharing the story will get the word out to any would-be buyers of these stolen goods. 

"It’s time to catch some thieves," he said. 

He now plans to hire security guards to watch the home until the sale is finished. 

Stay connected with Q13 News on all platforms:

DOWNLOAD: Q13 News and Weather Apps
WATCH: Q13 News Live
SUBSCRIBE: Q13 FOX on YouTube
FOLLOW: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram