A woman changed the locks on her house to keep out a squatter. The squatter called the police. The homeowner was arrested for unlawful eviction because she didn’t handle it through housing court. Never mind the squatter had no proof he had a right to be in the house. He claims he has a lease but did not produce one to the police or the TV station.
The owner can prove she owns the house. The squatter can’t prove he belongs there. The police arrest the owner. This is fucking stupid.
Eyewitness News captured what a growing number of property owners and police are dealing with on a daily basis – a squatter standoff.
“It’s not fair that I, as the homeowner, have to be going through this,” Adele Andaloro said.
Andaloro inherited her family’s home in Flushing, Queens after her parents passed away. She was in the process of selling it when she noticed a problem. Someone changed the entire front door and lock of her home.
“I’m really fearful that these people are going to get away with stealing my home,” she said.
She says squatters moved into her home in February and refused to leave.
ABC7 New York