Tornado cleanup underway in Friendswood

FRIENDSWOOD, TX (KTRK) -- If you attempt to drive down storm-damaged streets in Friendswood, you may well have to explain why you're there.

The police chief ordered extra patrols in neighborhoods with homes that were touched by Saturday's twister. The sight of missing shingles and broken tree limbs are apparently a draw to some people.

For Dave McCullough, it was too much. His home where he and his wife lived for years may well be declared a total loss, depending on what an engineer has to say. The roof, beams, and part of the house frame was ripped off, and rain soaked everything inside.

"We were trying to get inside and retrieve family heirlooms and keepsakes. And to come outside and see people in your yard, taking pictures from their cars and looking -- it's not pleasant," he said.

No one was home when the twister hit.

A police presence curtails that. Its other purpose is to discourage storm-chasers, who come in from out of town or state, and try to sign up homeowners with damage on the spot. The BBB discourages anyone from being pressured into signing a contract. If the contractor isn't local, it can make resolving problems with the work more difficult. The agency also advises homeowners to never pay any upfront fees.

Oddly enough, a contractor paid McCullough a cold call outside what's left of the house.

"He wanted me to sign up. But the police chief was standing beside me and he shut that down fast," he said.