Police have finally cleared out a group of almost two dozen squatters from a vacant $4 million Brooklyn brownstone after weeks of terrorizing the surrounding neighborhood. Residents and businesses reported theft, threats, property damage, drug use, and loud disruptions caused by the squatters. One of the squatters, Ryan Grewal, was arrested and charged with damaging a motorcycle. The squatters had broken into the building on September 21 and had been living there until they were forcibly removed by the police this week.
The new manager of the building, P.J. Ximenez, described finding drug paraphernalia inside the brownstone and noted that the squatters had stolen computers stored in an attached carriage house. The squatters also presented police with a fraudulent lease agreement in an attempt to claim they were there lawfully.
Following the eviction of the squatters, the building’s owner, Stella Tsang, had security guards stationed at the property. The squatters had left behind a mess, including stained mattresses, graffiti-covered walls, and containers of urine and feces. Nearby residents expressed relief at the removal of the squatters but also worry about potential retaliation. Ximenez emphasized that these individuals were not homeless but drug addicts and criminals who should be held accountable for their actions. The incident generated 17 complaints to 311, and neighbors are hopeful that the squatters will not return.
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