Posted on 08/17/2023 12:51:54 PM PDT by Red Badger
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas -- Jim Johnson and his wife, Lark, knew something was amiss when a family moved into their Texas cul-de-sac seemingly overnight last week.
"When they show up and immediately rip down the sign of the leasing company or owner company, it's like, that raises a concern," Jim Johnson, who, like most of his neighbors, is an original owner of his home for more than 20 years, said. "And the next move is a locksmith shows up, and that's a concern."
The Johnsons and their neighbors are tight-knit. They knew the management company of the rental home in the neighborhood and immediately called managers. Sure enough, their fears were confirmed. The management company says the new neighbors were not renters but squatters.
"They did have what looked like a very legitimate contract, and because of that, the police had to leave them alone," Lark Johnson, who immediately contacted the Harris County Sheriff's Office, said. "So now it's going through the whole process of the court. We're waiting for them to get their court date and be evicted."
The Johnsons and other neighbors are worried about illicit activity associated with the home. They have kept a constant watch and shared videos with each other on the frequent cars that drive to the home in the overnight hours.
Still, the sheriff's office said there's not much they can do unless an actual crime is committed.
When our sister station, ABC13, visited the home, a young woman opened the door but shut and locked it immediately after they identified themselves. A short time later, the squatters called the sheriff's office. Deputies confirmed the squatters also called a few days ago and complained their neighbor was harassing them by pointing a security camera in their direction.
"What's been frustrating is that I have a 12-year-old and that I don't even let her walk to her best friend's house without watching her," Lark Johnson said. "And we've never had that problem."
The ownership company says it has filed eviction papers, but ABC13's experience covering these squatter stories shows sometimes, it can take six months to a year for the eviction process to work through the court system.
In general, experts tell ABC13 the best option is prevention. They urge homeowners and management companies to post "no trespassing" signs clearly on their property. In addition, experts say homeowners with empty houses should place cameras inside the homes so they can immediately identify people who break in.
The management company for this home told ABC13 over the phone that they have cameras in some of the houses they own but that it's cost prohibitive for them to place cameras in every house up for rent.
VIDEO AT LINK.......................
This is a nationwide problem. There needs to be an immediate access to the court. And the owners need the ability to have these people arrested.
Every burglar should just carry a fake lease for the property in question. This is a complete breakdown of law.
It should be absolutely Legal to walk into your own home and while in fear for your life, shoot anyone inside that doesn’t belong there.
Only after that was shown did he do the job. His dispatcher also asked us to take a phone snapshot of the property tax bill and send her the picture.
The actual owner obviously has legal papers as well. Get several of your badass friends and move right back in. When the cops come show them your ownership status. When the thief shows the fake lease, the cop can’t arrest on that... after all, they say they cannot tell real from fake enough. So how can they tell YOUR papers aren’t real.
Then give the Tony Soprano treatment to the thieves.
” They urge homeowners and management companies to post “no trespassing” signs clearly on their property. “
What total crap. So if you don’t put no trespassing signs it must be OK for people to break in and take over your home.
That’s why a property tax bill works better. Can’t fake it. Most counties list the property owners on a county tax website. They can cross reference to that.
there seems to be a rash of these activities, enacted by self-described “sorts of American nationals or moorish Americans”, which both fit the ‘sovereign citizen’ movement, groups who play fast and loose with the U.S. Constitution married to abstract ‘universal codes and ccommon law’.
The Youtube channels, “Law Talk with Mike” and “Blackhart Knight” have a trundle of videos on these subjects.
Looks like the real estate managers and property owners would hire old fashioned house sitters................
Typical squatgroids.
This isn’t a job for patrol cops, they are there to keep the peace, not sort out property rights. This SHOULD be a thing local elected officials, particularly the sheriff, mayor, zoning official, etc... should be able to move on with great haste, if they wanted to stay in office. Of course that is assuming a lot.
Armed and masked intruders should throw them out by force shooting as many as necessary.
I know the laws are different in every state, but why would you need to go through eviction proceedings if there isn’t a valid rental/lease agreement?
This makes zero sense.
Does this mean when I go on vacation, someone can just break into my house and I have to evict them? What’s the difference between that and someone breaking in and just helping themselves to a bedroom while I sleep?
There has to be more to the story.
That exact scenario you mention has happened...................
Baseball bats..........................
I hear that a skunk scent stinkbomb can do wonders.
So can a hornets nest........................
Double keyed deadbolts help, too. Preferably Assay Alboy, as they can’t be bumped or picked. (Not easily drilled)
If they break in, they have to come and go though a window.
Alarms and cameras.
Bars on vulnerable windows. Or high security screens.
THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR IT!
The neighbors should do what the guy did in a different thread. Wait until the squatters go out, then the neighbors move in and become the new “squatters”, protecting the property and keeping it safe.
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