Authorities in Alabama have arrested a man accused of preying on grieving families by using obituaries and Facebook posts to identify homes to burglarize shortly after a loved one’s death.
Police say 40-year-old Peter Michael Petitti was taken into custody Sunday during a traffic stop after allegedly breaking into the home of a recently deceased person in the Park Forest neighborhood of Alabaster, about 25 miles south of Birmingham.
According to the Alabaster Police Department, Petitti’s arrest marks the second time in three months he’s been accused of burglarizing homes during periods of mourning. Investigators say he likely scoured online obituaries and social media pages to find his victims.
“At this point, we can’t say with 100 percent certainty that he was using obituaries, but based on the timing and circumstances, we can reasonably assume that may have played a role,” Detective Andrew Rowan said. “Our officers recognized his pattern of behavior, which matched previous incidents.”
Rowan added that the suspect’s alleged actions were “awful” and “despicable,” emphasizing the emotional toll on families who return home from funerals only to find their houses ransacked.
Police said Petitti was identified through video surveillance and a repeating pattern linking his movements to recent deaths in the area. The first reported incident occurred in August, when Petitti allegedly broke into a Weatherly neighborhood home following a woman’s death, damaging several doors and stealing small items, including jewelry and family heirlooms.
After that arrest, Petitti was released on bail on August 20. However, following the latest burglary, his $30,000 bond was revoked, and he now remains in the Shelby County Jail with no bond, facing charges of third-degree burglary and possession of burglary tools.
Detective Rowan said investigators are now working to recover stolen items and bring closure to the victims’ families.
“For these grieving families to come home after saying their final goodbyes and find their homes burglarized—it’s heartbreaking,” Rowan told WBRC. “We’ll make sure he serves time for it.”
Law enforcement officials have described Petitti’s actions as “heinous” and said keeping him behind bars is necessary to prevent further victimization.
