Airbnb

Published on: September 21, 2025

Suspects Arrested in Connection with Airbnb Burglary

Four people in Texas were arrested for burglary and drug charges after they were accused of robbing the belongings of people who were staying in an Airbnb.

Airbnb, a service defined as “an American company operating an online marketplace for short-and long-term homestays, experiences, and services in various countries and regions,” has become an increasingly popular alternative to hotels for those seeking boarding accommodations. Most hosts and guests report having good experiences, but on September 13, people staying in an Airbnb in Austin reportedly had a less fortunate experience.

When the visitors returned to their rental after a trip to another city, they reported being met by multiple people who were stealing their belongings. The alleged thieves left before the authorities arrived, and they were caught when they returned to the property.

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Published on: July 2, 2024

County Commissioner Candidate threw Tarantula on Housemate

by Staycie R. Sena

One of the candidates running for the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners spent last weekend in jail after being accused of assaulting a woman by throwing a live tarantula at her during a disagreement.

30-year-old Marisa Christina Simonetti is a conservative running for Hennepin County Commissioner District 6. On her campaign website she says, “I believe a safe home and family are the foundation of a community’s growth, safety, and long term success,” but on June 21, alleged unsafety in the home where she currently resides resulted in her facing potential criminal charges.

Simonetti was reportedly living with another woman who was temporarily renting out a different part of the house through Airbnb while she was studying for the California Bar exam. The short-term resident sent messages to Simonetti to complain about problems with the internet, in addition to what she believed was a spider infestation. The pair reportedly butted heads, and though Simonetti does not own the home, she allegedly tried to evict the other woman from the premises.

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Published on: July 11, 2023

Man Brutally Attacked Wife’s Coworker with Aluminum Bat

by Staycie R. Sena

A Florida man is expected to face charges for attempted murder after he reportedly found out his wife was in bed with one of her coworkers in his Airbnb, and allegedly showed up with a metal bat and brutally assaulted the man.

On June 17, a woman and her coworker who was in town on business decided to grab a few drinks together after the workday ended. The man is a travel CT Technician who lives in Arizona. When they were finished with their drinks, he asked the woman to come back to his vacation rental in Lake Worth Beach to hang out.

Around 11:00 PM, the pair was reportedly laying on the bed, and they heard someone open the front door and let themselves in the apartment.

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Published on: October 4, 2021

2 Narcotics Officers May Face Life Sentences for Drug Distribution

by Staycie R. Sena

Two Ohio officers are facing charges with heavy penalties after being accused of attempting to distribute several kilos of fentanyl and cocaine.

33-year-old John Kotchkoski and 44-year-old Marco Merino were both narcotics officers in Columbus, Ohio.

The federal authorities suspected that the pair were working together to make money off of large drug sales, and they decided to open an investigation.

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Published on: October 12, 2017

Airbnb Host Accused of Recording Guests with Hidden Camera

by Staycie R. Sena

Derek Starnes and his wife rented a condominium on Longboat Key, FL through Airbnb based partly on over 40 positive reviews posted on the site regarding the property. A day after checking into the rental Starnes who has a career in IT saw something amiss with one of the smoke detectors. Upon inspection he discovered it was a hidden security camera with a microphone pointed directly at their bed in the master bedroom.

Starnes called the police and they seized all computer equipment capable of storing data. A second camera was discovered in the living room.

The owner of the property, 56-year-old Wayne Natt, was taken into custody and charged with one count of video voyeurism. Natt’s Airbnb listing has been active for two years and police are investigating the possibility of others affected by the alleged breach of privacy. “We don’t know if there are local victims, someone who may have been dating him or a companion that doesn’t realize they are being videotaped, and then we have the other side of who he rented to through Airbnb,” said Lt. Bob Bourque.

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