Cops Pinch Pair For Illegally Hijacking Possession Of Temporarily Vacated Rental Home; Landlord Was In Process Of Remodeling Unoccupied Premises

In Taylorsville, Utah, KSTU-TV Channel 13 reports:

• Amanda Booth and Tony Hoskins face criminal charges related to squatting in a Taylorsville home. The two suspects apparently took up illegal residence November by allegedly squatting at a home on 5200 South and 3700 West.



• The rental property was vacant and being prepared for a new tenant, according to Taylorsville Police Sgt. Tracy Wyante. Wyante says the owner was upgrading the space by having it remodeled.



• Crews doing the remodeling noticed something was wrong when thousands of dollars worth of new carpet was missing. They informed the owner, who called police. "The case was investigated as a burglary, unfortunately we could not prove the burglary element of the case, which certainly existed, but we couldn't prove it," says Wyante.

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• Police say it is becoming more common to see individuals squat in homes while hundreds of properties sit vacant due to foreclosure, from owners who walked away from an upside-down mortgage, or, such as this case, a home that is being renovated.

For the story, see Police say squatters allegedly took up residence in vacant Taylorsville home.