A bunch of squatters who had allegedly moved into an empty house on Christmas Eve of last year were stopped by South Fulton, Georgia police.
The supposed-to-be-vacant house on Caveat Court was surrounded by a strong contingent of South Fulton Police Department officers when they arrived to take six people into custody and retrieve a stolen car.
The station spoke with Kendra Snorton, the vice president of the homeowner association, who stated that the gang moved into the empty house on Christmas Day. The residence is situated in Hampton Oaks.
“The ringleader, we see him walking his dog all the time. He’s very courteous and polite when he interacts with the community,” Snorton stated.
Mel Keyton, the HOA president, told the channel that some of the group broke into another house in the neighborhood, took a car, and then went back to the house they had been living in for several months.
“When the police showed up, the car was behind us in the yard. That’s how we put two and two together,” Keyton stated.
She added that the neighborhood is dangerous due to the regular presence of squatters.
“They use our amenities. They walk through the neighborhood. They break into houses,” she stated.
Snorton added that she finds it uncomfortable to not know who resides among them. About 20 miles southwest of Atlanta is South Fulton.Georgia’s Republican governor, Brian Kemp, signed a bill last month that criminalized squatting.
“Unfortunately, bad actors have figured out ways to take advantage of this, exploit, really the process that goes through the local government,” Kemp stated. “So, we’re passing legislation that I’m going to sign right after this interview to stiffen the penalties, to go after these folks, to also speed up the eviction process. But, also, allow the property owner to go after these squatters for damages.”Â
In March, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, also approved a bill that takes away squatters’ rights in the state.
Read Also:Â Fetterman Points Finger at College Protests for Disrupting Middle East Peace
Real estate agent Kesha Chedeaux, one of the squatters’ victims, told Lawrence Jones in February, “The last incident that I had, there was a squatter there who totally destroyed the place.”
“One has went to jail. They sold the appliances from the property and received money for them. Selling appliances, [there’s] feces everywhere, [they’re] sleeping in the beds because these properties are staged on the market.”
The real estate agent claimed that squatters are occupying these residences unlawfully and that any attempts to evict them are risky. They further claimed that they are doing so fearlessly.
