A handyman could get revenge on squatters who moved into his mother’s house by showing up with guns and squatting there himself.
Flash Shelton posted a video of his success removing squatters from his mother’s home in less than a day.
“If they could take a house, I could take a house,” Shelton, a member of the United Handyman Association, said in the video.
“They are the squatters and they have rights. So if I become squatter after squatter, then I should have rights, right?’ he said.
Flash Shelton posted a video about his experience removing squatters from his mother’s house in less than a day, to great success and more than two million views on YouTube
More than 13,000 people have commented on his video since he posted it in January, with many thanking him for his “property” while minding the business. Shelton did not show the faces of the two women crouched in his mother’s house
According to Shelton, a few months ago a squatter family broke into his mother’s vacant house and started living there.
Shelton said his father recently passed away and they offered the house for rent because his mother couldn’t live there alone.
A woman, who told Shelton she was a prison guard, asked to rent the house, but he refused as she said she had no money or credit.
That didn’t seem to stop them, however, when he later learned that a truckload of belongings had been brought to the house.
“She said it was accidentally delivered and she wanted to get rid of it,” Shelton said.
However, that was a lie, as Shelton later found out from friends and realtors that the house was full of people and furniture.
Shelton called the police and received an unhelpful response.
“They basically said, ‘You know, I’m sorry, but we can’t go into the house, and it looks like they live there. So you have to go to court,” Shelton said.
In his caption, the handyman said he was familiar with stories about “squatter rights” but didn’t know he had to deal with a situation personally.
“I had heard horror stories about the legal system giving squatters more rights than homeowners, so I decided to find a way myself to get them out in less than a day,” Shelton wrote.
According to Shelton, the situation began a few months ago when a squatter family broke into his mother’s vacant home and moved into it
In his video, Shelton said his father had recently passed away and they had offered the house for rent as his mother couldn’t live there alone
“She said it was accidentally delivered and she wanted to get rid of it,” Shelton said of the squatters who took up residence at his mother’s house
In the caption to his video, the handyman said he was familiar with stories about “squatter rights” but didn’t know he had to personally deal with a situation
“I had heard horror stories about the legal system giving squatters more rights than homeowners, so I decided to find a way myself to get them out in less than a day,” Shelton said
After doing more research, the man said he found out how long it could take to go to court and evict the squatters.
Fed up with the situation, Shelton — who doesn’t live in Northern California where the home is located — packed up his car and drove to the property.
“Even if you’re in your house paying the mortgage … eventually squatters feel like they have more rights than you do, so they have no incentive to leave until a judge tells them to,” he said.
“And that can take months, six months, it can take years. I don’t know. I didn’t want to take that risk,” Shelton said in the 20-minute video.
Shelton decided to take out a lease and qualify as a resident of the home.
He then parked his jeep with guns and his dog on the street where the house is and waited for hours for everyone to leave.
After seeing all family members leave, he let himself in with his keys, then walked around the house and began installing security cameras.
As he was working outside, two women came up to him and approached him. “I’m really sorry about all this,” said one of the women. “It’s a nightmare and beyond.”
Shelton calmly and coolly told the woman they only had a few hours to get it all out. In the clip he posted, he veiled their faces with a black and white filter.
Shelton told the woman that if she didn’t have it all out by midnight, he would have it out himself.
The threat appeared to be working when the family moved out hours later.
“I think just the fact that I was there was enough,” he said. “It was really fun doing it. I won’t lie about it. I’m glad it was successful.’
Shelton, fed up with the situation and not living in Northern California where the house is located, packed up his car and drove to the property
As he was working outside installing surveillance cameras, two women approached him
“I’m really sorry about all this,” said one of the women. “It’s a nightmare and beyond”
Shelton calmly and coolly told the woman they only had a few hours to get it all out
Shelton told her that if she didn’t have it all out by midnight, he would have it out
His video has now inspired others across the country who are struggling with their own squatting situation to try to take matters into their own hands.
Although he became an inspiration, Shelton said he advises extreme caution.
“I’m not suggesting that anyone take a risk like I did. It’s worth mentioning that I had special training and a transport permit and was prepared for any situation,” said the craftsman.
“The men and women I dealt with remained peaceful, and that may not always be the case. If you ever find yourself in a situation like this, it is best to expect the worst and you will be prepared.’