Vigilantes show up to evict ‘squatters’ at Queens home where owner was arrested – as neighbors reveal THREE people have been living there for free and carrying out work inside
Two vigilantes showed up to evict three brazen squatters living in a Queens home after its owner was arrested after trying to remove them.
Adele Andaloro inherited her family’s home, located on 160th Street in Flushing, when her parents died, but was stunned to discover that squatters had moved into her family home last month, ABC7 News reported.
Andaloro was in the process of selling her house. She confronted the squatters and was subsequently arrested after one of the men called the police for changing the locks.
Furious about what is happening, she told the news station: “I’m really scared that these people are going to get away with stealing my house,” she said.
She also shared her fear that by the time someone investigates the case, it will cross the 30-day mark. In New York, squatters have rights after 30 days.
Two vigilantes rolled outside the house, where the three squatters took over
One man, who was probably in the house, walks past the building
Andaloro entered the house, flanked by reporters, after an unknown woman opened the door. Inside, she was greeted by two men who were eventually led away by police
According to neighbors, the squatters have been seen and heard while renovating houses in the building in which they are not legally allowed to live, the homeowner claims.
On Tuesday afternoon, two men drove their black truck into the driveway of Andaloro’s home, looking for the occupants.
“We’re trying to get this guy out,” said the unidentified man, who appeared irritated and was wearing a black “Trump” T-shirt. “I’m here to talk to him.”
He added, “I want to see why he’s here.”
One of the neighbors nearby, who saw what happened, said “holy c**p” and said she had no idea the squatter issue was causing such a reaction.
Many neighbors were baffled and wanted to know how the squatters gained access to the house in the first place.
“It’s disgusting,” said one person, who said he saw the squatter walking around outside.
He added sarcastically, “I wish I could live rent free.”
A woman, crouched inside, peers through the window at a confrontation
Adele Andaloro, 47, inherited her family’s property in Flushing, Queens and hoped to sell it — but was beaten to death when squatters moved in last month
According to neighbors, the squatters have been seen and heard while renovating houses in the building where they are not legally allowed to live.
On Tuesday afternoon, two men drove their black truck into the driveway of Andaloro’s house, looking for the occupants.
One of the vigilantes goes to the front door to talk to the people inside
Another neighbor, who asked not to be identified, told DailyMail.com that she has seen activity at the house in recent weeks.
She said she saw one of the squatters carrying a door into the house and remembered it was late at night.
‘I saw the door going into the house. The man looked at me and then away,” she recalled. “I didn’t know what was going on.”
The same neighbor said the house had had a “For Sale” sign on it for a long time and said, “This guy (the squatter) came out of nowhere.”
Other neighbors felt the same way.
Kosta, a 24-year-old student who lives next to the squatter’s house with his family, told DailyMail.com that he remembered the former owners and said he had been “on edge” since they arrived a few weeks ago. .
“They’ve been building the house all night.”
“I heard a drill and saw through my window that they were drilling holes in the wall and putting up shelves.”
He said one of those shelves was placed above the window. “I don’t know if the sign is still there,” he said, “but it looked like they were trying to hide what was inside.”
Many of the residents of the close-knit block where many of the neighbors have lived for more than 30 years.
“We all know what they’re up to, so we’re all a little angry about it,” Kosta said.
Minutes after police left, a man identified as Brian Rodriguez (pictured) forced his way inside, accompanied by one of the squatters who had already been removed from the property.
A delivery person waits at the front of the house after the squatters have ordered food inside
A woman, presumably crouched in the house, peers through a crack in the front door
One of the vigilantes gets out of his car and tries to confront the squatters
Kosta, a 24-year-old student who lives in the house with his family next door, told DailyMail.com that he has “no idea where they came from” and how they got into the house in the first place
Garbage next to the house where the squatters have taken over
The two-story home that sits on a quiet street in the Whitestone-Flushing border has an assessed value of more than $1.2 million, according to Homes.com.
Andaloro was arrested for changing the locks, which is illegal under New York City’s illegal eviction law
Another neighbor said it was ‘unfair’ what happened to the owner of the house and told the squatters to get out, calling them ‘sons of b****es’ as he walked away.
Other locals said they were keen to sign a petition to get the squatters out.
Neighbors said Andaloro lived in the house with her daughter and her mother.
When her mother passed away a few years ago, she continued to live in the house and rented out the basement to an older man and his dog, who was apparently a beloved member of the community.
When the man left the state, Andaloro put the house on the market.
The two-story home, located on a quiet street in the Whitestone-Flushing border, has an assessed value of more than $1.2 million, according to Homes.com.
A woman who turned out to live in the home would not open the door after several attempts, but told a source earlier in the day that she does not know what is going on and said she is a roommate in the home.
The same woman ordered a takeaway hours later, which was delivered to the house around 6:30 p.m. She opened the door to pay for the order, but quickly slammed the door as a photographer from a news channel approached.
Twenty minutes later, a man drove into a dark Nissan four-door, stopped next to the photographer and behaved aggressively towards him. The man was identified as one of the squatters.
While this conversation was taking place, the same woman peeked through the curtains and looked through the window.
The man entered the home and came out a short time later. The photographer left shortly afterwards. He was seen walking to his car with New Jersey license plates.