Help Linda Thomas evict an abusive squatter
Donation protected
My name is Gary Spinrad. I am a video game Sound Engineer. I met Linda Thomas about 4 weeks ago. She is 88 and quite infirm. I gave her a ride home from the grocery store. As I was loading in the bags, i looked at her bedroom to see the door almost completely destroyed. 0_o What the hell made that? Not her.
I give my phone number with the standard, “If I can help” stuff.
Three days later, I get a call saying she has a squatter in her house who is abusing her and stealing her money. I decided I would like to continue to look at my own face in the mirror and went over. Sure enough, there was a bedroom in the back that had been barricaded from the inside. Security cameras wiring led into the window from the outside. Mrs. Thomas said they were monitoring the house for when she left. Sure enough, the house looked pretty picked. Her money, and her things, we’re largely gone.
She said the woman had come in from In-Home Supportive Services, an LA city social service. The first couple months were fine. Near Christmas 2020, the squatter had told Mrs. Thomas she needed a place to live and asked to move in. Mrs Thomas agreed to a trial period, and the squatter moved in. No lease was signed.
We walked to the back and Mrs Thomas asked me to disable the cameras, and I clipped the wires. (Recorded on video) That was when the window to the bedroom slammed in front of me. They were in the house.
I called the Culver City Police. The squatter and her boyfriend heard that and lit out of the house fast. He has been in jail previously and the cops were on their way. We were out front waiting for the police when they came out through the patio in full view. I’m a 6’2” retired hockey player, and they got THEIR first look at ME. They must have been rattled because rather than drive past me, they backed up 100 yards to a cross street, then turned.
When the cops arrived, I learned that they had been there many, many times, and the words “senile” and “dementia” came up several times. I told them a senile 88 year old had not caved I that door. They documented everything, probably because I had a death glare, but I have no idea if they took it seriously. They said since the squatter had been invited in and had gotten mail, establishing residence, and there was nothing they could do.
I’m now seeing an 88 year old woman being preyed on financially and, as I came to find out, physically, (the door was the squatter’s work) and the Culver City PD was driving away, I had a decision. I’d hate myself for the rest of my life if I walked away.
Step one. Nope. This was happening.
Mrs Thomas already had the paperwork for a restraining order, (Second one. The squatter found the first one and stole it) but no way to get to the courthouse. Next day we go to the Inglewood Courthouse and filed the papers.
I started calling social services agencies. Notes were taken, oh no’s were offered. We’ll have someone around in 3-10 days reported.
No one called. No one came.
When the squatter was Mrs. Thomas caregiver, she secured all the entries for Mrs. Thomas’ accounts. Every useful record was stolen from her study and plundered. Mr. Thomas was an engineer and had a brilliant tool collection. All gone. Mrs. Thomas was continually threatened and assaulted to keep her in fear.
My first thought continues to be my North Star. The knowledge that I’m not qualified for this. As stated earlier, I make bangy noises for video games, but I’m not letting this woman down. I head toward Facebook as I have a lot of good friends as well as fans of a band I created. Good suggestions started coming in from friends, LAWYER friends, etc. Still, I was feeling overwhelmed.
Then a ray of hope. Two deputy sheriffs showed up to try to serve the restraining order. Of course, the squatter was not there, but, according to Mrs. Thomas, the sheriffs seemed horrified at what was going on… you know, the normal reaction for a public defender. They said they’d go out of their way to get her. Apparently “out of their way” was show up one more time (without the requested coordination with us) then give up and say they won’t be back.
I start scheming about some sort of mass attack of builders on the house to secure the windows and doors when a far better suggestion comes in from a dear college friend. (Thank you, Melissa!) She hipped me to a guy who cleverly got some squatters out his mother’s house and then set up a YouTube channel dedicated to ejecting squatters.
I now welcome to the story Flash Shelton from Outside the Box with Flash.
One interview later comprising the above, he agrees to help. Thank Glob. Two days after the interview with me, we arrange to do an interview on camera with Mrs. Thomas. Four big guys with cameras, some bigger than me, arrive for the interview. Her story goes on camera. Best of all, SQUATTER AND HER BOYFRIEND WERE THERE! We all fanned out (I was not part of the team. I was simply providing as much intel and evidence as possible) and covered all entries and exits with people with cameras. Flash attempted to serve the papers for the restraining order. We can tell they’re hiding in there as Flash opened the window they go in and out with. Once we redeployed, we came back and it was closed. That, and we have them on camera pulling the curtains aside to see what’s happening, but that’s as close as we got. Flash decided to de-escalate from there. We all left. I hung around for a while to make sure this didn’t come back on Mrs. Thomas.
Cut to today. We went to the hearing and told the Judge the squatter was evading service. She told us (not unkindly) that, because it was an elder abuse case, it had to be served in person. Continuance.
I’m telling the story on Facebook, and now it’s all “professional server” this and “private investigator” that…
Look. I always knew I was going to have to generate money. If nothing else Mrs. Thomas needs a semblance of her life back, but Flash has crew and expenses to take care of, and, well, “professional service” that. We need as much as possible to help secure Mrs. Thomas house, safety, and future.
Look. If there is one thing I feel fine about asking my friends and family for is to help an 88 year old lady get a dangerous criminal out of her house. We have strong evidence that this woman is a professional criminal. We need to evict her at the least, but a piece of paper isn’t going to keep this vermin out, jail would be better, and seizure of the squatters accounts for restitution would be best. No matter how this shakes out, she needs a secure house.
EDIT: Perhaps the best part is that you get to watch it happen on outside the box with Flash.
Please support this campaign as best you can. Every dime goes to her care, and I am going to make all finances auditable to prove it.
Please help Mrs. Thomas. Boost the signal. We need an army. I may be big, but I’m not that big.
I give my phone number with the standard, “If I can help” stuff.
Three days later, I get a call saying she has a squatter in her house who is abusing her and stealing her money. I decided I would like to continue to look at my own face in the mirror and went over. Sure enough, there was a bedroom in the back that had been barricaded from the inside. Security cameras wiring led into the window from the outside. Mrs. Thomas said they were monitoring the house for when she left. Sure enough, the house looked pretty picked. Her money, and her things, we’re largely gone.
She said the woman had come in from In-Home Supportive Services, an LA city social service. The first couple months were fine. Near Christmas 2020, the squatter had told Mrs. Thomas she needed a place to live and asked to move in. Mrs Thomas agreed to a trial period, and the squatter moved in. No lease was signed.
We walked to the back and Mrs Thomas asked me to disable the cameras, and I clipped the wires. (Recorded on video) That was when the window to the bedroom slammed in front of me. They were in the house.
I called the Culver City Police. The squatter and her boyfriend heard that and lit out of the house fast. He has been in jail previously and the cops were on their way. We were out front waiting for the police when they came out through the patio in full view. I’m a 6’2” retired hockey player, and they got THEIR first look at ME. They must have been rattled because rather than drive past me, they backed up 100 yards to a cross street, then turned.
When the cops arrived, I learned that they had been there many, many times, and the words “senile” and “dementia” came up several times. I told them a senile 88 year old had not caved I that door. They documented everything, probably because I had a death glare, but I have no idea if they took it seriously. They said since the squatter had been invited in and had gotten mail, establishing residence, and there was nothing they could do.
I’m now seeing an 88 year old woman being preyed on financially and, as I came to find out, physically, (the door was the squatter’s work) and the Culver City PD was driving away, I had a decision. I’d hate myself for the rest of my life if I walked away.
Step one. Nope. This was happening.
Mrs Thomas already had the paperwork for a restraining order, (Second one. The squatter found the first one and stole it) but no way to get to the courthouse. Next day we go to the Inglewood Courthouse and filed the papers.
I started calling social services agencies. Notes were taken, oh no’s were offered. We’ll have someone around in 3-10 days reported.
No one called. No one came.
When the squatter was Mrs. Thomas caregiver, she secured all the entries for Mrs. Thomas’ accounts. Every useful record was stolen from her study and plundered. Mr. Thomas was an engineer and had a brilliant tool collection. All gone. Mrs. Thomas was continually threatened and assaulted to keep her in fear.
My first thought continues to be my North Star. The knowledge that I’m not qualified for this. As stated earlier, I make bangy noises for video games, but I’m not letting this woman down. I head toward Facebook as I have a lot of good friends as well as fans of a band I created. Good suggestions started coming in from friends, LAWYER friends, etc. Still, I was feeling overwhelmed.
Then a ray of hope. Two deputy sheriffs showed up to try to serve the restraining order. Of course, the squatter was not there, but, according to Mrs. Thomas, the sheriffs seemed horrified at what was going on… you know, the normal reaction for a public defender. They said they’d go out of their way to get her. Apparently “out of their way” was show up one more time (without the requested coordination with us) then give up and say they won’t be back.
I start scheming about some sort of mass attack of builders on the house to secure the windows and doors when a far better suggestion comes in from a dear college friend. (Thank you, Melissa!) She hipped me to a guy who cleverly got some squatters out his mother’s house and then set up a YouTube channel dedicated to ejecting squatters.
I now welcome to the story Flash Shelton from Outside the Box with Flash.
One interview later comprising the above, he agrees to help. Thank Glob. Two days after the interview with me, we arrange to do an interview on camera with Mrs. Thomas. Four big guys with cameras, some bigger than me, arrive for the interview. Her story goes on camera. Best of all, SQUATTER AND HER BOYFRIEND WERE THERE! We all fanned out (I was not part of the team. I was simply providing as much intel and evidence as possible) and covered all entries and exits with people with cameras. Flash attempted to serve the papers for the restraining order. We can tell they’re hiding in there as Flash opened the window they go in and out with. Once we redeployed, we came back and it was closed. That, and we have them on camera pulling the curtains aside to see what’s happening, but that’s as close as we got. Flash decided to de-escalate from there. We all left. I hung around for a while to make sure this didn’t come back on Mrs. Thomas.
Cut to today. We went to the hearing and told the Judge the squatter was evading service. She told us (not unkindly) that, because it was an elder abuse case, it had to be served in person. Continuance.
I’m telling the story on Facebook, and now it’s all “professional server” this and “private investigator” that…
Look. I always knew I was going to have to generate money. If nothing else Mrs. Thomas needs a semblance of her life back, but Flash has crew and expenses to take care of, and, well, “professional service” that. We need as much as possible to help secure Mrs. Thomas house, safety, and future.
Look. If there is one thing I feel fine about asking my friends and family for is to help an 88 year old lady get a dangerous criminal out of her house. We have strong evidence that this woman is a professional criminal. We need to evict her at the least, but a piece of paper isn’t going to keep this vermin out, jail would be better, and seizure of the squatters accounts for restitution would be best. No matter how this shakes out, she needs a secure house.
EDIT: Perhaps the best part is that you get to watch it happen on outside the box with Flash.
Please support this campaign as best you can. Every dime goes to her care, and I am going to make all finances auditable to prove it.
Please help Mrs. Thomas. Boost the signal. We need an army. I may be big, but I’m not that big.
Organizer
Gary Spinrad
Organizer
Los Angeles, CA