Clovis Haunted House to Be Turned Into Hotel

Sunday, May 14, 2006

May 14, 2006 -- A well-known haunted house in the Valley will soon be turned into a hotel.

The Clovis home has attracted hundreds of people over the years, but these days it's attracting thieves, and the latest crimes were caught on tape.

Right off Clovis Avenue sits the well-known old mansion and sanitarium-turned haunted house.

On Friday afternoon, something new was captured on video—not ghosts, but burglars.

Three young women and one young man were caught on surveillance video walking in the haunted house, videotaping, taking pictures, and taking something else.

"Going through his desk, see them pick up a dollar bill that I placed out of my pocket in his desk. I have the serial number, they take that, pass it around, wind up sticking it in their pocket," said Sgt. Tom Tucker of the Clovis Police Department.

Because of that, police say these kids are now wanted for burglary. They got a good look at them as they unknowingly walked up to the hidden camera.

"It's not like we're setting them up; we're trying to get people to stop this," said Sgt. Tucker.

The long-running problem with break-ins prompted police to install security cameras. They've made a half dozen arrests, including one man caught on tape stealing a $1,000 chandelier. His trial is expected to start soon. "People want in here, and I wish they would just go on my website, email me and we will give them a private tour rather than breaking in and going to jail," said mansion owner Todd Wolfe.

Wolfe says he thinks it's the unknown that draws people there—a place he says without a doubt is haunted.

"I've been touched. I've had a breath of air on the back of my neck. I've heard them walking; I've heard them talking," said Wolfe.

He's now planning to turn it into a hotel and add new fences and security guards. Until then, the Clovis police will be watching the place, but not for the para-normal.

"I'm a non-believer," said Sgt. Tucker. "It's an old house, you hear creakings and banging that aren't explained. I've found some weird things on video but all the stuff I've found on video I've been able to explain...no ghosts," said Sgt. Tucker.

Meanwhile the owner of the haunted house is opening the home for tours. To learn more about the Scream If You Can tours, log onto their website at www.screamifyoucan.com.

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