Akron neighbors worry for safety after squatters break into empty home

AKRON, Ohio (WOIO) - Imagine looking out your window and seeing someone break into the home next door. An Akron man said it has been happening at a vacant house for months, and no one is doing anything about it.

“Then all of a sudden I can just glance over here and then I’m like, did I just see that?” said Walt Long, a homeowner on Orrin Street.

It’s not a comforting feeling glancing out your dining room window and seeing people breaking into the empty home next door.

Long said this has been going on for months, scaring elderly neighbors and prompting several calls to police.

“You sleep and then you hear booming and banging,” said Long. “You don’t know what to do. I called police but they scared to go in there.”

Long said while police responded, they didn’t kick the squatters out.

Plus, his calls to city council went ignored all together.

After kicking out the board on the window, squatters have easy access to the house.

It’s a scary thought, but getting the people out isn’t as easy as you might think.

We called the Akron Police Department, Prosecutor’s office, Fair Housing, Community Legal Aid and the Akron Bar Association and no one would speak to us about the next steps for Long, or the homeowner of the home.

Clearly, it’s complicated.

We do know, according to Ohio State Law, that people who break into homes can be evicted.

It seems this problem is in the hands of the actual homeowner, who we’re still trying to reach. For now, all neighbors can do is wait and worry.

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