A homeowner in New York City was recently arrested after confronting squatters secretly staying in her home.
Reports show that 47-year-old Adele Andaloro was arrested after changing the locks on her $1 million home in Flushing, Queens. The 47-year-old inherited the house from her parents, with squatters eventually moving in secretly.
Reacting to news that squatters lived inside the home, Andaloro said, “It’s enraging. It’s not fair that I, as the homeowner, have to go through this.”
BREAKING: NYC homeowner is arrested for changing the locks of her home to kick out squatters who broke in.
In New York, people illegally living in your property automatically become the legal
tenants after 30 days.NYPD police arrested Adele Andaloro for unlawful eviction of… pic.twitter.com/YyaMxCe7wy
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) March 19, 2024
Upon discovering squatters inside the home, Andaloro paid locksmiths to change the locks of the residence when she began the process of selling the estate in February 2024.
After confronting the trespassers, Andaloro was taken into custody by law enforcement.
New York City law allows individuals to claim “squatter’s rights” after 30 days of living in a particular residence. Such measures make it illegal for the homeowner to change the locks, turn off the utilities or remove the belongings of the so-called “tenants” from the property, according to One America News (OAN).
“By the time someone does their investigation, their work, and their job, it will be over 30 days, and this man will still be in my home,” Andaloro said. “I’m really fearful that these people are going to get away with stealing my home.”
OAN reported that Andaloro was seen entering the front of the residence during a recent encounter when the squatters left the front door wide open and she noticed it on camera.
A local outlet identified a man claiming to be on the property’s lease, Brian Rodriguez, who returned to the home and broke through the front door after Andaloro changed the locks.
“You shouldn’t be trying to steal my house,” Andaloro told Rodriguez through a security camera.
Authorities later told the 47-year-old homeowner that she had to take up the issue in housing court because it was considered a “landlord-tenant issue.” Considering that Andaloro changed the locks of the house, she was taken into custody for “unlawful eviction.”
Following her arrest, Andaloro insisted that she had to sort out the landlord-tenant conflict in housing court, adding that she was being pressured to initiate a court eviction to solve the problem.
