St. Clair County business wants property rights restored after taxes sold

A St. Clair County business is seeking to restore its property rights in a suit against a bank and a real estate tax buyer.

Shippers Interstate Express, and its principals Robert L. and Thelma Kay Glock, claim they did not timely receive a St. Clair County tax bill and now defendant Prairie State Properties, which bought the taxes, "has taken the position that it owns said real estate," according to a suit filed May 2 in St. Clair County Circuit Court.

Shippers Interstate Express and the Glocks claims co-defendant Southwest Bank, with which plaintiffs had financing or guarantees, knew that their real estate taxes had not been timely paid and "failed to communicate same to the Plaintiffs."

The plaintiffs also claim they did not receive service or notice of an application for an order directing the county clerk to issue a tax deed for their property.

"That there was never any diligent inquiry or effort made to serve Shippers Interstate Express, LLC, Robert L. Glock and/or Thelma Kay Glock," the complaint states.

"That any representation to this Court that diligent inquiry and effort was made to serve...constitutes a fraud or deception," the complaint states.

"That if (plaintiffs) had received the tax bill, or notice that taxes were sold, or subsequent notices, they would have redeemed or paid the said real estate taxes," the complaint states.

Shippers and the Glocks are represented by Edward J. Blake, Jr. of Blake & Allen in Belleville.