Advice needed to prevent trespassers during rehab and interruptions

[Sam Leon]

I have a unique situation where I have a property (SFR) that I am in the middle of rehabbing, and got called away on a family emergency overseas and need to be away for a while (probably till May 2023) before I can get back to working on it. Meanwhile the property is locked up.

The property has been vacant for a bit after the bank foreclosed on it, so the neighbors all know it's vacant.

While rehabbing I started talking to the neighbors and had their contact information to contact me in case of emergency.

I was told that for over a week now a vehicle would come and park on my driveway.  This is not a case of someone parked there and leave the car.  There are several people in the car, they come and stay inside the car and sleep in the car overnight, then drive away in the morning.  So far one neighbor told me they did that 5 nights in a row.  They always throw trash out and leave a mess and another neighbor would go over and clean up the trash.  The neighbors are not comfortable with going over to ask them to leave because there are multiple adults in the car.

What would be the best way to navigate this issue to stop it from getting worse...they may try breaking in and turn into squatters next.

If I was there I could call the police...but I am not.  My guess is even if the police get involved it is not a one off thing, they may leave and come back two days later.

Would appreciate ideas...are there security patrol I can pay for that can say make ten trips over ten evenings to get rid of them, if they get told to leave multiple times it may deter them from coming back?

I already have signs at the property - NO PARKING signs, THIS PROPERTY IS UNDER 24 HOUR SURVEILLANCE signs, BEWARE OF BAD DOGS signs, so those are not doing anything.

[Sam Leon]

Quote from @Jared Trindade:

Quote from @Sam Leon:

OK may be I do not understand how calling the police works.  I was under the impression that when you call the police to report a situation (burglary, trespassing, theft whatever), you need to be physically present to meet them when they come by later to show them the problem and they will take down your information in the police report.  I cannot just call and say there is a car parked in my driveway please go check it out right?  Or can I?  Note that I am overseas so I will be calling them long distance and they most likely won't be able to call me back.

I have given the neighbors a green light to call the police but they are reluctant to do so because they do not want to get involved because they do not want the occupants of the car to know who tipped the police off for fear that they may come back later to retaliate.  Again, I am assuming if as a neighbor if you call and said someone is parked in a driveway at a house across from me, the police will ask you for your information, and when they come out to check on it, they may go to up to the neighbors house, knock and ask "mam are you so and so and did you call us to report on a car parked across there and can you point out to me which car it is before we approach?"

I have personally called the police, and witnessed others calling the police, especially about public disturbances and no report was needed to be filed. A request for a patrol is not the same as calling in regards to filing a report for a crime committed. A patrol is going to drive through, look for suspicious activity and do their jobs to deter it, and handle issues in an area, just the same as if they were driving down your road randomly and you got pulled over speeding. It's just asking them to be cognizant of the area, and make sure to come by and check it. 

If you called and said three guys just broke into my house, and you met a cop out there to file a report of the crime committed- that's totally different. If your neighbors were to call they can quite literally say they wish it to be an anonymous tip. The cops I personally know have never mentioned being mad someone gave them a tip and didn't introduce themselves haha. 



Q. I'm going on vacation. Will the police watch my house?A. Yes. If you are a resident of Fort Lauderdale, all you have to do is call us at 828-5700. Tell the call-taker your address and ask to speak to the patrol supervisor that is responsible for your area. The supervisor will prepare a Zone Alert and the information will be given to the patrol officers that patrol your neighborhood. Be prepared to tell the supervisor who will have your keys (if anyone) and who to contact in the event of an emergency.

https://www.flpd.org/frequentl...

Check out Fort Lauderdale PD's website, you can also contact them directly from there and get set-up to have a police patrol.

 Thank you,  I will call the PD and explain the situation and see what they suggest.  See if they can send a patrol to investigate.  May be I will get some cameras installed so I can see them there then call to alert them.