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Homeowner nervous about squatter living out of tent beside property

Posted at 6:58 PM, Jan 25, 2017
and last updated 2017-01-26 10:56:58-05

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. – Homeowner Kristina Mayberry just wants to enjoy her new home, worry free.

“This is our first house and we sort of wanted to feel like, you know like, we want to keep our front door open in the summertime and be able to come and go as you please and not feel uncomfortable.”

Mayberry doesn’t feel safe because of a squatter who pitched a tent on private property next to her house.

“It`s so close, that it`s scary,” she said.

The squatter has been living nearby for months.

Mayberry said the situation is uncomfortable, especially in the summertime when they want to be outside.

“…And he's just out there we're not sure if he's listening to us or what he's doing if he's walking around the neighborhood, digging through the trash.”

Mayberry said a recent incident prompted a call to police after they heard screaming from the tent, just yards from her home.

“I was shaking, to be honest because when someone sounds belligerent and you don`t know what state of mind they`re in,” Mayberry said.

Mayberry contacted CBS 6 Problem Solvers to find out if anything could be done.

We contacted managers at the nearby mattress store who said they've called police a few times in the past about the tent.

But whenever police stopped by, the tent was empty.

The store manager believes the property belongs to them.

A few hours later,  store workers said they went out to take down the tent and left notice for the squatters to vacate and remove the tent within 24 hours.

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