By RYAN KISIEL Gangs of Eastern Europeans are taking over family homes while the occupants are out. Residents have told how gangs break into their homes, change the locks and then move in ‘tenants’ who claim squatters’ rights. The victims return to find aggressive, knife-wielding East ern Europeans who refuse to let them into their own home – while police say they are powerless to act without a court order. Threatening: A woman holds a kitchen knife outside the home of George Pope. Angie Belalij has had squatters occupying her home for five months and has been threatened with a knife. She fears her family will never be able to return home The ensuing stand-off means homeowners and tenants have to find somewhere else to stay and face a costly legal battle to reclaim their property. Angie Belalij, 37, lost control of her rented two-bedroom home five months ago after illegal ten ants moved in while renovation work was carried out. Mrs Belalij, who lives with her husband Tarik, and son Jake, 14, said she was threatened with a knife by one of the eight Lithuanians who had invaded her home in Barking, Essex. She now does not want to return and fears for her family’s safety. Distraught: Pensioner George Popeoutside his home in Barking Mrs Belalij, a sales manager, said: ‘I went round to see the builders and we found squatters in the house. When I said to them, “Why are you here, this is my house”, they got in my face shouting at me that they had rented it and they had rights. ‘I was so shocked that they were able to squat that we don’t want to go back. In some way they believe that it’s their home now and they’re going to easily come back if we return.’ Mrs Belalij says the squat ters claim to pay £600-a-month to live there. A printed notice stuck to the window threatens to prosecute anyone who enters without permission. Her neighbour George Pope, 72, had a similar problem when he stayed with a friend and returned home to find a family had moved in. He could not get inside because the locks had been changed. He claims a man then walked up the path to his house and accosted him. ‘I said, “This is my place”. But he said, “This is our property and we intend to stay here unless you go to court.”’ A young woman was seen clutching a kitchen knife at the property this week. The retired car worker, who was forced to stay with friends, said: ‘Police told me it looked like a civil matter. But the squatters were using my home, my gas and my electricity – it’s abso lutely disgraceful.’ Mr Pope went back to his house on Monday morning to find all his belongings had been thrown out. ‘I had been out for just two-and-a-half days. Someone must have been watching me,’ he said. ‘The rear door had been levered out with screwdrivers – that’s how they got in. ‘My neighbours are now too frightened to go out anywhere in case the same happens to them,’ he added. Mr Pope has finally managed to reclaim his house after the squatters fled but he no longer wants to lives there. The Metropolitan Police said it was seeking suspects who are believed to have posed as an estate agents to fraudulently sublet properties.Knife-wielding Lithuanian squatters who move in when residents go out
Last updated at 7:47 AM on 24th September 2010
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1314526/Knife-wielding-Lithuanian-squatters-residents-out.html#ixzz10R1fCsdx
Friday, 24 September 2010
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