Police Cite Med Center Home Squatters After Break-In

Breaking into a vacant home is a misdemeanor and home squatters do not go to jail.

You think you know your property rights because you assume that home squatters will be arrested if they break into a person’s home in the Med Center and take up residence without permission, but you would be wrong. Who knew there are home squatters rights in California? It’s not always a matter of what is logical. It’s a matter of our jails being too crowded with criminals charged with petty crimes, so the answer to that dilemma is just don’t throw them into jail anymore.

Depending on which side of the fence you sit, you might agree. Like a hungry derelict who swipes a loaf of bread from the store probably should not get life in prison for that kind of crime. But a couple of homeless people, squatters in California — who break a window to get into a home in the Med Center, and sleep on the floor, smoking cigarettes, stinking up the house, using the bathroom, and generally treating the place like they had rented it for 3 days through airbnb — just get a slap on the wrist and sent on their merry little way.

Sacramento Realtors are in for a rude awakening, along with our Sacramento home sellers. It’s like you have to pay somebody to sit outside your home and guard against break-ins when your home is vacant because the police can’t do anything except, if you’re lucky, escort them out. It’s not the fault of the police, it’s California law that makes these break-ins a misdemeanor. Breaking into a vacant home is not a felony under the rights of squatters in California. I never thought I’d be one of those people upset over the fact that laws aren’t strict enough, but here I am, now one of those people.

The next door neighbor called me as I was heading out the door to list a home in Elmhurst, a neighborhood adjacent to the Med Center. I instructed him to call 9-1-1 immediately. The police want to hear from the witness, not from the agent. The neighbor said there was a bicycle lying in the front yard and a couple of screens were missing. Then, I stopped cold and contacted the sellers who rushed over. They wondered why the neighbor called me and why he didn’t call them since he had their numbers.

Neighbors often just call the agent because my name and phone number are in big letters on the For Sale sign in the front yard. Fortunately, I know what to do. Call 9-1-1. The neighbor on the other side had been involved as well, so it’s good to know that neighbors watch out for the home. Still, the police simply escorted the squatters out of the home and gave them a ticket. They got to pass Go, almost collected $200 and picked up a Get Out of Jail Free card.

Plus, the seller almost shot me. By the time I showed up, the police had left and I met the neighbor in the front yard. The front door was open, so I walked in, calling the seller’s name. He spotted my shadow from the back yard where he was watering the lawn, and said he almost grabbed for his gun. It’s a good thing he did not shoot me because that would have left blood all over the newly finished hardwood floors and probably ruin my Tori Burch sandals.

The seller said the police gave the homeless couple a ticket, but not before he made the woman remove the layers of booties she had on. Apparently, she had no shoes, so she took all of my booties out of the basket I had left for visitors, and split them evenly between her feet. After she removed the booties, she then tried to steal the basket.

What are home sellers supposed to do nowadays? Hire a 24-hour security guard so squatters don’t break in?