In a disconcerting incident in Flushing, Queens, homeowner Adele Andaloro was arrested and handcuffed at her million-dollar property, following a confrontation with unauthorized occupants.
The incident was recorded by ABC7 NY.
The dispute initiated when Andaloro inherited the property after her parents' demise. As she was preparing to sell the house, she was taken aback to find the locks changed and unknown individuals residing within.
"Its not fair that I, as the homeowner, have to be going through this," lamented Andaloro. She expressed her apprehension, stating, "Im really fearful that these people are going to get away with stealing my home."
ABC7 NY documented the moment when Andaloro, accompanied by her daughter and armed with her property deed, endeavored to reclaim her home. Upon arrival, they found the doors locked but seized an opportunity when a woman unlocked the door and exited the property.
Inside, they encountered two men, one of whom claimed to have moved in just two days earlier. The men, whom Andaloro asserts are squatters, called the police on her.
The police, unable to obtain evidence from the men proving they had lived in the house for over 30 days, escorted them out. They warned Andaloro about the potential legal consequences of changing the locks.
Despite the caution, the situation quickly escalated. Shortly after the police left and the locks were altered, Brian Rodriguez, who claimed to be the lessee, returned with another man previously evicted by the police. They forced their way back into the property, resulting in Andaloro's arrest for unlawful eviction.
When Eyewitness News asked Rodriguez for documentation, he failed to produce a lease but showed bills for work he claimed to have done on the house. He stated he had moved in a few months earlier and had signed documents with a realtor, whose identity he did not reveal.
In New York, squatters' rights, often referred to as "adverse possession," stipulate that a person occupying land or property without the owner's consent can, under certain conditions, gain legal ownership of that property. As reported by Grok:
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