'Squatter Hunter' warns worst intruders in America are those who have 'nothing to lose'
Flash Shelton, a former California handyman, is known for having launched a new and niche career after helping his own mother "evict" unlawful inhabitants from her home.
In an on-camera interview, he told Fox News Digital his story, where it's landed him today — and his advice for others who may find themselves in this difficult situation. (See the video at the top of this article.)
In 2019, after Shelton’s father died, he found himself trying to remove squatters from his mother’s house in Northern California after he was informed that unwanted intruders had broken in.
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Shelton said he reached out to law enforcement, who said that since the individuals had moved furniture into the home, it made it appear that someone was living there, and concluded it was a civil matter that officers could not help with.
Shelton took it upon himself to learn how the squatters were able to take over his mother's home, researching different loopholes to remove them.
Flash Shelton began his Squatter Hunters business after he had to remove intruders from his own mother's home in California. (Flash Shelton)
"I learned everything about squatters over the course of a few days … I figured out that if I could establish the rights [to the home] before them and I could switch places with them and become their squatter, then that would work," Shelton told Fox News Digital.
He noticed three parked cars at his mother’s house and observed seven people going in and out of the home, he said.
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Shelton had his mother give him a lease to sign. He then headed to the home, and successfully reclaimed the property.
"It was just switching places with them, becoming their squatter, locking them out, putting up cameras and telling them that I would prosecute if they broke back in — [that] was enough," Shelton said.
Flash Shelton, founder of Squatter Hunters, finds legal loopholes to reverse "squats" where intruders are living. (Flash Shelton)
After sharing his experience on social media, he went viral — grabbing the attention of other homeowners who reached out for help with their own squatter situations.
Shelton then dubbed himself the "Squatter Hunter."
Shelton’s services are available nationwide through video conferences and, if the situation is deemed necessary, he will travel to the homes where squatters are in place.
"My DNA has always been to fight bullies, and it's what I've always done my whole life."
He travels two to three weeks out of the month to approach interlopers through his Squatters Hunters business.
He said his family is very supportive, even though they share concerns about his personal safety.
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"They understand that this is just who I am. You know, my DNA has always been to fight bullies, and it's what I've always done my whole life," Shelton said. "And I had to live up to the name Flash."
He added, "They understand that I prepare. They understand that my work ethic [ensures] that I'm safe and that they are safe … They support me and, and I'll tell you what, I couldn't do this without the support of my friends and family."
Flash Shelton, 57, provides squatting hunting services across the nation for those who need help. (Flash Shelton)
He spends a great deal of time preparing for each case and feels an adrenaline rush when on location, he said.
He said he doesn't "take it personal. I go in with a goal in mind, and I'm going to get that property back."
In one of the cases he worked on, a woman posed as a caregiver for an elderly woman in Culver City, California, and was climbing in and out of a window to live inside the home, he said.
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"That was the craziest situation. Because she didn't care. She didn't care that I had barricaded her, that she only had access to her bedroom," he said.
"She had no bathroom. She had no electricity. She had no water. But she didn't care because in her deranged, narcissistic mind, she was going to own that house when the 88-year-old woman passed away."
Shelton said he notifies law enforcement before every squatter hunting job he takes on. (Flash Shelton)
Shelton works with homeowners by having them sign a month-to-month lease depending on the situation. He informs law enforcement before he attempts to force out the squatters.
Laws pertaining to adverse possession, also known as squatters’ rights, vary from state to state.
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"The states that are friendly to squatters — those squatters are just assuming tenant rights. So what we need to do is separate it out. And if somebody enters a house illegally, regardless of how long they've been there, that should be a crime."
He continued, "I think that the worst squatting story comes down to when you have somebody who has nothing to lose."
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Flash Shelton (@flashshelton)
In New York, squatters need to live for 10 years on a property openly and illegally before claiming ownership.
However, New York City has its own rules, which stipulate people can claim squatters’ rights 30 days after a lease has ended, according to New York Consolidated Laws.
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Squatters in California who pay taxes on the property for five years can gain the title to that property.
Shelton advises homeowners to prepare and be ready in case they are concerned about possible squatters.
Shelton says there should be laws in place to make squatting a crime in all 50 states. (Flash Shelton)
"The best thing you can do is get yourself cameras that you could view from your phone anywhere in the world. The other thing would be a locking mailbox, making sure that squatters don't have access to send mail to your house."
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He added that if you suspect you have an intruder, you should immediately call law enforcement.
"The most important thing is that this is property. Don't risk your life trying to fight for property."
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