After tracking his stolen packages to a nearby vacant home, the Heights resident found a squatter inside and confronted him.
HOUSTON — A homeowner in The Heights said he spotted a thief on his surveillance camera stealing packages Thursday morning.
He then tracked him to a nearby vacant home where he found his packages and others inside.
“I went in and sure enough, all the packages were in there,” Ricky Cummings told KHOU 11. “It looked like there were signs of people being in and out of there. Then I saw someone sleeping and said, ‘We need to have a talk.’ Thankfully, I got my stuff back.”
The home had been empty for years, according to neighbors.
A development company recently bought the property. They added a fence, but it wasn’t locked.
While KHOU 11 was interviewing Cummings outside the home, another man walked onto the property while our cameras were rolling.
“Obviously, it’s a problem. It brings crime. It brings an open place for people to go,” Cummings said.
He reported the incident to the Precinct 1 Constable’s Office. They said the suspect is connected to at least one other possible theft in the area.
Hours later, someone showed up and added a lock to the fence.
“I’m very concerned for our safety, me and our kids living [close to] there,” resident Liane Huang said. “If someone gets onto that property, my house is right next door. They could climb over the fence.”
A representative with the developer told KHOU 11 that the home and another one nearby will be torn down, but they’re waiting for the gas to be turned off.
CenterPoint said the gas is off at one home, but a proper request to disconnect service at the second home was only submitted within the past week. That process typically takes two to four weeks to complete.
The issue of squatters could soon be addressed by new state legislation. Senate Bill 38, which has passed both chambers of the Texas legislature, would require courts to act on eviction requests in as little as 10 days when unauthorized occupants are living in a home.
Supporters say the bill, if signed into law, would give property owners quicker recourse.