Thanks to the alertness and cooperation of local residents, the Local Police have successfully prevented the illegal occupation of 14 unfinished homes in the San Francisco Javier neighbourhood, located in the capital of Lanzarote.
According to official reports, several concerned neighbours contacted the Local Police’s dedicated anti-squatting hotline to report that around 20 people were attempting to take over an entire unfinished residential building.
The calls indicated that there was clear “preparation and organisation” behind this coordinated attempt to occupy all the empty properties.
In response, the Local Police launched a special operation, deploying around 10 officers to secure the building within the critical first 24 hours. Their swift action ensured that the group, many of whom had previously lived in other illegally occupied properties in different parts of Lanzarote, did not settle into these 14 vacant homes.
The Mayor of Arrecife, Yonathan de León, who oversees the Local Police, ordered a round-the-clock surveillance operation. This continued until municipal workers were able to brick up and secure the properties, a task that was completed last week.
Local residents had previously warned police about suspicious activity, reporting organised “viewings” by different groups of people on consecutive days, raising fears that the homes were being targeted for coordinated occupation.
When officers arrived on the scene, they found 20 people inside the unfinished building. Thanks to police mediation, the group agreed to leave voluntarily within the first 24 hours, preventing a potentially lengthy and complex legal situation.
The Local Police of Arrecife have expressed their gratitude to residents for their cooperation, which they stress is vital in preventing illegal and often violent occupations.
Mayor Yonathan de León also urged the public to remain vigilant: “If you notice any signs or have any suspicions of illegal occupation, please contact us immediately on our dedicated anti-squatting line: 682 271 466, which is monitored by the Local Police.”
