Five people were arrested after Jacksonville deputies found them inside a vacant Westmar Road home late Saturday night, ending what police say was an unauthorized stay that began after a broken window gave someone access. The arrests came after the property owner made a second call for help while he was still trying to get back to a house he said should have been empty.
According to News4JAX, a neighbor first alerted the owner that several people were inside on Saturday. The owner was out of town during an initial police visit, then contacted officers again around 11:50 p.m. after seeing people still inside and provided documentation showing the last tenant had been evicted on June 23.
Deputies Surround Home After Suspect Tries Window Escape
Officers responded shortly after midnight and positioned themselves around the residence, where at least one person was spotted in a rear bedroom. Police used a patrol vehicle’s public-address system and siren to order everyone out with their hands up, but the occupants did not comply, according to the arrest-report account.
The owner gave deputies keys so they could enter, and officers found all five people gathered near the front door. A Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office K9 team and drone unit also responded, while one person was identified with a fingerprint scanner after allegedly giving officers a false name.
The five were booked into the Duval County Jail early Sunday on allegations that included trespassing in an unoccupied structure and resisting an officer without violence. One person also faced a charge of allegedly giving false identification to law enforcement, News4JAX reported; the outlet did not name the suspects because the charges are misdemeanors.
Florida Law Gives Owners A Faster Route Against Unauthorized Occupants
Jacksonville’s sheriff’s office says Florida’s unauthorized-occupant law allows a property owner or authorized agent to request removal when people unlawfully enter and remain in a residential dwelling, refuse to leave and are not current or former tenants. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office also says the owner must complete a verified complaint and provide supporting identification and ownership documents.
The statute does not turn every landlord-tenant dispute into an instant police matter: it excludes current or former tenants with an authorized rental agreement, immediate family members and properties involved in pending litigation. The Florida Senate’s summary of the law also notes that a person wrongfully removed may pursue a civil claim, a reminder that the faster process still comes with legal guardrails.
Vacant Properties Remain A Jacksonville Flashpoint
The case also lands amid broader local concerns about empty properties becoming magnets for unauthorized occupants and safety problems. In February, Hoodline reported that residents at a Cedar Hills apartment complex described vacant units being taken over and common areas becoming increasingly difficult to secure.
The people arrested in the Westmar Road case remain accused, not convicted, and the available reports do not indicate whether prosecutors have filed additional charges beyond the misdemeanor counts. The arrests nonetheless show how a neighbor’s call, proof of eviction and a damaged entry point can quickly turn a vacant-house complaint into a late-night police operation.
