Oh, my... oh, my! You mean it could finally all be over?

Maybe you should buy it. You can start an empire there, buying up the neighborhood one house at a time. It will really be Sorta's Neighborhood!

Now there's a good idea!

If I could buy it, I'd tear down the house, level the ground and leave it empty and bare. Maybe plant some nice flowers and shrubs, put a park bench there. Dedicate it to MY neighborhood for all to enjoy. I'd love that. A mini-park for all of us.

AND from last night...FOUR police cars there again! They all arrived one by one, went around and around inside the property with flashlights and spotlights from the cars. They spent 1/2 hour there looking. Again, I saw no one with them, but all of them were 'gone' for awhile where I can't see. Might have been someone there.

They are obviously hitting this hard now. 2 nights in a row, about the same time. 10ish is when I usually see 3 people leaving, so maybe the cops also saw, or someone called them and they are trying to catch those 3. Geez, all they have to do is sit here and watch the guys going in and out on bicycles and grab them. Dunno why they can't figure out they have to station someone to watch and call.

I'm very optimistic about things now that I've found that record of the case for the Probate by the Niece. Wow. If I'd known all that before, I'd not have worried so much. In any case, ALL papers are filed with the court and it's just a matter of days until the Judge OK's the disbursement of the funds/property with the Niece in charge of it all. I don't really expect to see her out here, but rather just some realtor(s) showing the property and then the 'rehab' starts. Wish I had money to buy it, but last time she tried to sell it (before the poor old guy died) she refused a very good offer, holding out for a lot more. This one is heavy on the taxes, no plumbing/sewage hookup to the city, needs total major rehab of it all, and is 'unsafe' because of all the drug stuff and unsavory activities and terrible people who have used it. Yuk!

In any case, IF it gets actually LISTED, I'll take a look, might be something my tenant/friend would tackle. He has cash in the bank but it would probably not be enough to buy and rehab too. Hummmmm. Things to think about. Stuff to do coming up soon.

It's almost over... ...at least this chapter.

More fun today! Last night spotlighting and cars slowly driving by. This morning about 10:30 am, 6 police cars all over again. I managed to get my computer police calls up and running and heard them asking for permission to break into the house. They were considering the consequences and the necessity of boarding up the place again if they did. Dispatch came back with "We have a valid NO trespass order on file". Aha! So the niece did indeed take my information I sent her and did the paperwork to allow police to enter, detain, arrest, etc. If no order by the 'owner' no arrests and no going in unless they had a warrant. Wheee! I got through to her somewhere back in there when we were still communication. I feel better.

So after 2 hours, they finally brought out one male and arrested him and put him in the car. Hooray. I had walked down there to see if anyone was being detained and saw him on the ground, flat out in 'the position'. Thank goodness they finally arrested someone. If they had been there 2 hours earlier, they could have had FIVE. The same crew walked out earlier today up the block.

THEN as usual, just 15 minutes after all cop cars were gone, here comes a guy and gal (bicycle guy and his mate) walking past MY house looking like normal people. They did something with their clothing and looked different. They went right in and so I called the dispatch. A new dispatcher just came on duty so it was a few minutes before she found the activity from earlier and just THEN the 2 people walked OUT with the bicycle and some belongings. So she said to call back if anyone else was seen entering.

WE finally are getting somewhere. Looking forward to the wrap-up of all this. Gonna be extra patrols all the time now. Goody!

Totally amazing that anyone would go near there with all the police activity.

This is even more exciting that all the bad stuff!

And yet MORE stuff to keep me occupied:

1/2 hour later, 2 people (guy and gal) walked down the side street, girl pushing a heavy shopping cart and guy carrying something clothy. The went right in through the gate and this time I called the neighbor (whose house they passed on the way). She volunteered to call the police (we like to alternate).

So in less than 10 minutes, traffic right in front of my house starts backing up. I thought maybe a dog in the road or? It turned out to be the police (2 cars) parked in the center turn lane (they love doing that) right in front and guess who they had stopped and had sitting on the curb across the street? Yup, the 2 people with the shopping cart, which was now overflowing with 'stuff'.

Eventually there were 3 police cars, and they talked to both the girl and guy and looked into the cart. They obviously called in for identification of them and eventually let them go with the cart. I'm assuming they were 'cautioned' not to go back to the house. This is nice.

THEN...ya thought it was all over? Nope. 15 minutes after that incident, a white SUV pulled up fast in front of the house, 3 people got out and RAN into the house. It took less than 2 minutes for each of them to come out with arms loaded with bedrolls, backpacks, etc. They literally THREW them into the car and screeched off. Wow!

I guess word is getting around to get there stuff and get out of there. So that's about 8 of them that probably won't attempt to come back any time soon.

When the neighbor made the call to dispatch, she was asked WHY she was calling and WHO told her to call. Ummmmm. Happily she's a fast thinker and said the police told her to call if she saw anyone going into that house. Whew! She also told dispatch that she knew there was a 'no trespass order' on file. Hooray! That got the cops here in record time.

If we keep this up, there will be nobody going in and out anymore. I do, however, think that tonight after dark, some of the 'regulars' will sneak in to sleep. Can hardly wait. I won't hesitate to call the police again.

Then I thought back as to why all this is happening NOW? I remembered before the Niece cut off contact that one of the last things I'd written to her was about the necessity for her to download and sign a 'no trespass order' for the police to be able to arrest people on the property and not need a warrant. I think just maybe she finally did that. It's only been 2 weeks since the major patrols started and then this week 4 of 5 days with all-out assaults each day/night. Gotta be something good gonna happen!

Funny how things happen when the OWNER gets involved... Maybe she finally figured out she still might get something out of this place, but she was going to have to get off her behind and make it happen.

It was a dark and stormy night. Well almost. It did rain lightly all night AND in that rain, the TWO bicycle guys who lived in the house for weeks, kept going around and around. They were not there when the arrest of their buddy happened. I don't know if they had any idea what happened, but one of them came in about 4 pm (his usual time) and went inside the fence and was back out in 2 minutes. He looked confused. Rode around up and down the streets and then back to the house, this time only looking over the fence and not going inside. I have a hunch that the police managed to somehow jam the doors so they were locked tight.

This guy came back every 1/2 hour all night until his last round at 3 am. Yep, 3 am. Towards the end, he brought a second guy (also a regular) and both went round and round. It was only 15 minute rotations now. After 3 am they didn't appear. Guess they needed some sleep OR maybe they got the message that NOBODY was home.

Still watching the house. I think the word got around to almost all of them about the police, the no trespass papers, and the arrest. Very empty there. No cars, no people. It's SO nice! Probably the calm before the storm. The only action was 20 minutes ago when bicycle boy #1 rode down the street, made 2 passes on the sidewalk (didn't even hesitate) and then disappeared up the street. Guess he's still hopeful his buddy will reappear. This only reinforces that ONE guy was in charge over there and if he's gone, then nothing moves. Interesting.

I can hardly wait until the 'next' big happening.

At least things seem to be heading in the right direction Sorta. Hopefully this will all be over soon.

More action last night. The 2 bicycle boys were doing their 'normal' routine all day, like the night before. Cruising around, back and forth, up and down all day at hourly intervals, then 1/2 hour, then 15. One time the bigger guy actually rode down and got the mail, checked it, and then took it back up the block. I am almost positive that Fat Gal (who hasn't been seen there in several weeks now) was up the street and sent him to get the mail.

Then came nightfall. Eventually one of them actually went inside for almost 2 minutes then back out. After that, it was a 'tag-team' of them going in and out. Never both together, each time getting longer and longer inside. I gave up when it hit 10-15 minutes. Then BOTH of them went in and out together. Testing the waters I guess to see if the cops showed up.

Funny that after the arrest NO police were around in our neighborhood at all! Nobody, not a car. How strange. I'm going to watch today to see if they are back on normal schedule of checking the house. My thought is that after 11 pm, our bicycle boys both went in and didn't come out. Might even be some other people back in there too. I gave up recording after seeing them getting braver and braver. It takes me 1/2 hour to review (at top speed) my 8 hr VCR tape. Ugh.

I'll keep watching. I know something will happen fairly soon regarding the house and the Niece. Can hardly wait to see what goes on next IF it sells.

That's what I was thinking about - IF and when it sells, woe be to the poor soul who has to deal with the previous occupants! Do you ever hear anything from Bad Gal who started this whole fiasco? Just wondered if she was still wringing her hands about how awful this all was after she was only trying to "help" the old guy.

Funny you should ask about Bad Gal. She CALLED me out of the blue a few days ago. She talked for TWO and a half hours! She sounded 'normal'. Usually she is slightly under the influence but this time clear as a bell.

She wanted to know if anything was 'new'. I told her nothing. Same old stuff. People coming and going, the police doing raids regularly, a few arrests, etc. Then she launched into the 'I did it all for HIM'. I'm so sorry I couldn't finish what I promised. Duh? does she really think I'm so stupid as to believe her? I guess. She did ask why I hadn't called her and that I was her FRIEND. Ugh and double ugh. I'm trying to NOT be her friend.

OH one good bit of info. I asked directly again about why she left the place to the drug crew and she finally admitted that it was her BOYFRIEND (nice guy actually) who had walked into the house one day, found 2 people he didn't know sleeping on the living room floor in the middle of the day, and had a MAJOR shouting match with them. After that, he never appeared again and she followed suit just about 2 weeks later. Good for him for being a better person than she is.

At this point, I truly believe the poor guy knows nothing about Bad Gal's drug use, or that some of her friends (make that most) are gang guys and gals and heavy into drugs. I really think he is in the dark. She doesn't spin a good yarn. You only have to watch the first video (Channel 10 Joe little Squatters) on YouTube to see how great an actor she is. The police all agree. They laugh every time she is mentioned. They know she is lying a lot.

AND she now is trying to fight that 'plea bargain' that she had her shifty lawyer do for her. I knew about the traffic stop where they found a meth pipe in her glove box. Of course she says it wasn't hers. Well then I got the full story. She was arrested (I knew) and spent a day in jail. Then she says she didn't know about the 'court proceedings'. She said the lawyer went without her and pleaded her to a $500. fine and 30 days of some class. She swears the lawyer never told her about the settlement. So then she gets a warrant for NOT paying and not going to the classes. Now she wants to sue the lawyer for inefficient representation. Well IF she wanted to know what was happening, she could have GONE to the trial. Duh. Can't believe everything or sometimes nothing she says. Loads of fun to listen to.

In any case, she hung up happy finally when her boyfriend came home for lunch and said to tell me hi, and I said OH you better go get him some lunch. Whew! Just in time. I thought I'd have to have the phone surgically removed from my ear. Geez!

As for today: Bicycle boys in and out with huge trash bags, probably cans and bottles to redeem. AND one of them was tracking with a girl (with backpack) up the street to somewhere. Probably to another of the 'squatter houses' which are all over this neighborhood.

THEN my friend and I were out on my back deck chopping concrete from that wrought iron thingy, and all of a sudden, the deck gate opens and I hear someone say hello as she walked across the entire deck to where we were. I figured it was a neighbor or tenant. NO ONE ever just opens that gate and walks in! There is a BELL right there with instructions to RING BELL. Guess she couldn't read. She was 20ish, blond, dirty all over carrying nothing with her. She asked if we had a room for the night or somewhere she could sleep since it was going to rain. Ummmmmm? After a bit of questioning she said she came in from Arizona with her boyfriend, who dropped her off a street over at a store and never came back. Now that's a strange tale, but it could have happened, or maybe he was just someone who picked her up.

In any case, I wasn't about to have the stranger around my deck, house, not a room, not going to let her 'sleep under a tree'. Egads! She was really desperate. I offered to show her the social services place or Goodwill, or Father Joe's (shelter) or call the police so they could transport her somewhere. She flinched at the mention of police. Wonder why?

So I finally told her to try 2 doors down at the rooming house. She walked there and then back the way she came. She told me she came the 'other' way but I had her on tape lying about it. AND she walked along and deliberately without hesitation right down my long driveway. I offered her a bottle of water for her 'trip'. She refused. OK who refuses bottled water when you are on the street with nothing???? She said she had just had a large cup of water. Spidey sense kicking in at all this.

After she was gone gone gone, I started to think. I figured it out. I someone had given her instructions for the old guy's house (lots of referrals to there we see), they would have said: It's an old house at the corner of Oxford and Twin Oaks. Don't go in the front gate, it's locked. Go in the driveway and through that gate. Walk in and someone will be there.

NOW if you consider those directions they fit the old house AND MY HOUSE exactly. If they gave no address, she oculd have mistaken my 'old' house for that one and expected that we were the 'squatter's house'. Yup, I figure it went that way. She did seem a bit confused when I said no.

Guess I can't get away from all the action over there. They will find me no matter what I do. Gotta laugh though. I really wonder who referred her to the house and why they didn't give more specific instructions. It's pretty strange that anyone would just open a gate and walk in. Creepy!

So for tonight, I'm locking all gates and keeping the driveway alarms on high. Just in case she wanders back. She said she would come back. Yikes! I sure hope not.

I'm predicting that the 2 bicycle guys will be back to the normal routine of staying overnight and that others will soon follow. Should be a bunch of them over there in a few days unless the police come back and raid it again. They were being very careful, but today they are feeling safe again.

News, News, News! Things are going fast now. Hooray.

Today, I had a lunch with my friends but I got the premonition to turn on my security camera recorder. Good thing too. When I got home my neighbor called to tell me that 2 Sheriff Cars had been there with some other people and then a Locksmith showed up. Wheeeee! I reviewed the tape and in one hour's time, 2 sheriff cars arrived. Two officers got out and went into the property through the usual gate. Then they came out in about 10 minutes. They motioned to the corner on the sidewalk to the 2 other people (I think 2 men and one women, or 3 men one of which was wearing a dress). They all walked into the property and the sheriffs left. Immediately a 'trespasser' walked out with a back pack and headed up the street.

The 3 others stayed inside (One of them put a 'notice' on the front door that no one ever uses), and a Locksmith Van drove up. One guy spent about 1/2 hour changing the old deadbolts on all 3 doors to nice shiny new ones. He left the boxes right there on the ground. Weird. He left and the 3 others walked up the side street, presumably to a car which was out of my view.

15 minutes, a tall, bald man came out of the property and walked up the block, not stopping or turning till he was 2 streets away. I have no idea who he was. Might be one of the trespassers, or just some neighborhood guy who saw something new happening.

So I got my tenant/friend up from his nap and we went over to see what changed and brought binoculars to see what was written on that notice on the door. It had a Sheriff's seal on it. Nothing else looked strange except the gate was left wide open and the paper on the door said EVICTION. Yup, finally some eviction notice we can verify.

So I started searching again in the court records for 'evictions'. had to look in the civil courts but knowing how the Niece's name was on the probate paperwork, I managed to find the Eviction filing and resolution. Geez. Why couldn't she just let ME know? It turns out she put the 2 names I GAVE HER. Yup, she did indeed and filed this in September of last year. Unfortunately, by then the Bad Gal was no longer there (hers was name 1) and the other Fat Gal was not there either after October. The eviction was attempted served 4 times. Guess they never found either of those ladies.

Finally, she amended the case to 'take possession' rather than eviction and it got approved. So today, I guess she sent whoever (probably process servers and lawyer?) to post the notice and 'take possession' by changing the locks. I sure hope no one was hiding inside. Could be a load of fun tonight if so. They seem to have created hiding places and it's quite possible that one or more are still inside.

Now we wait until either a construction company or a realtor appears. Nothing is listed for sale or bought on this house so maybe that's the next step. I can hardly wait (neither can all the neighbors) to see something happen over there. I really think that tonight the place will be broken into and the usual crew will try to grab anything they can. I'm watching and recording.

More updates when we actually see someone 'taking control' over there. I'm still hoping the Niece will actually come here and at least say thanks for all we in the neighborhood have done for HER. Can't predict the next events, but I'm hoping for something good.

My prediction is that you will never see hide nor hair of the niece. She doesn't seem the type to care much about the situation except for what she will get out of it.

Aha! Detective Sorta on the job. Today, while looking up some 'house' facts for my neighbor (she wanted to know the zoning) I came across something useful, maybe.

My favorite real estate site is property.com which is great for listing all sorts of ownership info. It's the place I found the address and phone of the Niece and the Estate info. So today I was just scrolling down and Voila! Something new had been added. The FULL name of the guy who brought in that annoying Motorhome. Wow!

Now I can start searching for other goodies on him. I'm still, although not holding my breath, keeping a log of all the important players and events for the Niece if she should ever want to prosecute anyone for anything. So now there is one more name. Amazing that it just showed up TODAY. Wasn't there yesterday. It lists 'tenants' and his name is there. Of course he never was and I know that the Niece never had an agreement with him for rent, etc. Not even close. We never could find his last name until now and he's not listed on the eviction notice. Maybe a previous one? I'll have to search more.

I got a LETTER!

Banner day. I got a New Year's letter (with a nice printed poem) and information about the progress on the house by the Niece. Wow. She was 'charmed' by my Christmas card in which I included a California Lottery Scratch Off Ticket. Aha! I put nothing else on the card except 'Good Luck' and my signature.

So 4 weeks later she writes, thanking me (esp. for the ticket) and said that she is waiting for the Sheriff to contact her that the premises are clear of squatters and that she already has contracted with a Realtor to sell it. HOORAY!

Red Letter Day. It's almost over on this chapter. I wrote her back with the latest news, who I still see around the place and the sneaky way they get in (the hole in the bedroom floor via the easily entered crawl space).

This should go quickly now since I know the Sheriff will do one more 'check' and then the Niece will give the Realtor the go-ahead. It might be the same guy that tried to sell it before or it could be the place I spoke to and who contacted her and got the preliminary paperwork from. Hope it's the latter.

I'll know soon what's next. The real estate websites are saying the est. for this house is between 295 and 350k. Not even close for that torn apart mess. I'm anxious to see what it lists for. I'd put it at about 150 given all the hazards and damages. Could be a good buy for someone who knows or is a contractor.

Stay tuned for more exciting updates.

WHOOPIE!! So she really WAS listening! This is awesome.

Great news Sorta. Congrats.

As usual I spoke too soon about things calming down.

2 days ago, a truck backed into the driveway and 2 guys made mega FAST trips loading stuff into the bed. Then they zoomed off. I didn't bother calling police because the whole thing took less than 2 minutes.

So today...I'm watching and see a guy with an empty shopping cart go right into the driveway gate. He was quickly followed by a girl with another empty cart. SHE was followed by another guy with another empty cart. Do the math.

So the last guy, parked his cart just outside the gate and then walked to the sidewalk and 'stood guard', casually of course. Duh. Like all of them didn't look guilty as they slowly approached and made sure to look behind them to see if anyone was watching?

Finally the last guy decided the coast was clear enough and he went inside with his cart at which time all 3 started loading the carts as fast as they could. Each one was piled high with stuff. Just junky stuff, but still it's not nice to steal.

I couldn't stand it, so I called the gal up the side street and she called the police. They said they would send some officers. Well since this isn't a major emergency, as usual, they didn't come for 45 minutes. By the time they arrived, I had called the dispatch just to report and tell them that the people were still there. Dispatch gal was VERY friendly this time and thanked me for calling.

Police went in, spent about 10 minutes total and then out comes ONE shopping cart, pushed by TWO men. It was so full the police had to help them wheel the 'loot' out. How stupid. They should know that they are stealing stolen stuff. Ha. Anyway, 2 guys out, cops leave and guess WHO didn't come out? The gal of course. I have no doubt that she was hiding under the house having gotten down the hole in the bedroom floor and hid there till they left. I'm watching for her to leave OR for the other 2 to come back and get the rest of what they can carry off.

Not a biggie since it's all stuff that the squatters brought in or didn't want from the old guy's left overs. I called dispatch back to tell her that they took stuff with them that they didn't have when they went in. I also told her it wasn't a major event. Again, she said to call anytime and I wasn't bothering them. Call when I see something.

So now we have ONE gal still in there, they have a new deadbolt locked door broken open and still it's an non event. What can they do anyway? Gotta just keep on top of it at least scooting the people out.

I told dispatch that the Niece is now the owner and had written me with what's going on. Dispatch was happy at that. They have had major problems with the niece not responding to them so they are less than happy with her. I told them that it should all be over soon.

So that was today's fun. What more can happen???? My friend said that we are now 'off duty' for today.

Well, at least there is low-level entertainment continuing before it is finally all over!

I think this correlates to the classic novel where all starts out great, goes downhill with the hero in dire straits, then is rescued and we think all is wonderful and then another twist and we think all is lost and then finally the hero comes out victorious, gets the girl, etc.

Yesterday, after the police left, we never saw the girl in the group again. I suspect she was still in there all afternoon, maybe all night since a car kept going around, stopping at the driveway, staying there for 5 minutes and then leaving. It happened over and over. Once, it honked its horn (very covertly) and still nobody came out. THEN later, a guy from somewhere across the street (out of my line of sight, walked over, opened the FRONT gate (no one ever does since it's sorta broken), walked right up the FRONT porch (again nobody has ever used that entrance) and tried the door. He seemed confused. Then he walked around the house out of sight. 1/2 hour later, back again going 'home' with what looked like a small rolling suitcase (only he was carrying it off the ground by the handle) and out of sight again. He probably saw that the house was ready for looting again and wanted his share.

This morning, 9 am, 3 police cars there, I was in the shower with my hair full of shampoo, and my neighbor called. Ugh. What a drippy mess all over the floors. So I run around looking out windows and getting my cameras turned on and watch while the 3 police go into the property. Then I get another call, it's another neighbor who is always on the lookout. She can see better, and said the police were attempting to SECURE that back door that the looters had forced open. They also took pictures of the process, probably for documentation for the people who did the new deadbolts. You can't keep these looters out no matter how hard you try.

Then again, they aren't really trying that hard. 3 years ago, they could have locked, boarded, fenced the entire place and had a 'private patrol' there to keep track. All this would have ruined my stories.

So today we expect to see more action over there. Don't know who will show up next. Maybe the Niece will CALL me and I can fill her in on the latest happenings. Here I sit, waiting, waiting.

Where's a big bulldozer when you need it?

So, now I have this picture in my head of you running around to the windows with dripping hair in a towel! You DID have a towel, didn't you?!