Arrests after changing the locks to evict two tenants in Elche

In one instance, it was due to allegedly overdue rent payments each month. In another, it was because the provisions of the leasing agreement, which forbade the presence of youngsters, had been breached, and the woman had recently given birth. The fact is that in both circumstances, a real estate agent from a business based in the centre of Elche, along with an accomplice, decided to take dramatic actions. After telling the tenants that they needed to leave the residence for fumigation, he used the occasion to change the locks, which resulted in the eviction of both occupants. However, this move turned out to be expensive for both the real estate agent and his “assistant”. The National Police in Elche subsequently detained them for coercion, burglary, and trespassing.

The initial grievance

It all began a couple of months ago when the first complaint came at the Elche police station. According to the victim, he had agreed to rent a room from a real estate company in March. But in November, one of the agency’s employees arrived at the residence and informed him that the property needed to be fumigated and that he had to leave from 9:30 a.m. until dusk. So, the tenant left, but he must not have been totally convinced. This was particularly evident when he decided to return at noon. The shock must have been enormous. When he got there, he noticed that the real estate agent and another man were dumping trash bags into the dumpster, and he discovered some of his possessions in the trash. But when he saw that the house’s locks had been altered, his surprise only grew.

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Claims of being a defaulter

He asked the real estate agent what was happening because of this. The agent and his friend accused him of being a deadbeat, leading to a heated argument. When he finally called the National Police station, the authorities advised him to make a report. He claimed that some of his possessions ended up in the skip, however he was able to retrieve some items, and his clothes, a refrigerator, cash, and documents were in his room. Additionally, he stated that he was paying 320 euros a month but was four months behind on his rent, despite having agreed to rent a room without receiving a contract.

With the infant in the centre

The next day, however, another complaint arrived at the police station. In this second example, it featured a woman who, in April, had signed another contract with the same real estate agency to rent a room in another house for 250 euros a month . Two months later, in June, the mother gave birth to her baby and kept living in the same room . However, in November, the agent applied the same modus operandi . She locked her room when he informed her that she needed to leave the house for fumigation. In her case, at lunchtime, she received a message from the agent alerting her that he had cancelled the contract due to violation of contract, because, as stated, minors were not allowed ; but also due to bad behaviour, because the baby cried a lot; and because of arguments with her roommates. The lock had also been altered.

The same manager

After looking into both occurrences, the National Police were able to determine that the same person was at fault. They were also able to identify the man who had joined him in the first case because records showed them discarding the first complainant’s possessions. Both were arrested for coercion, burglary, and trespassing.

Author: Derek Appleton