SWAT Team Called In After Washington Man Allegedly Hijacks Home In Foreclosure While Owners Are Away

In Shoreline, Washington, KOMO-TV Channel 4 reports:

• Sharon and Doug Larson were on their way back from the Oregon coast last week when neighbors told them a stranger had hijacked their house. Neighbors called 911 when James Vanvolkenburg moved into the Larson's home Friday night, claiming the house belonged to him. Police officers who arrived said Vanvolkenburg's name was on the tax records, so they let him stay. "He's there with this woman and their dog and my belongings, sleeping in my bed," Sharon said. With help from her sister, Sharon went to the courthouse Monday morning and discovered that Vanvolkenburg may have tried to take advantage a foreclosure proceeding against her house. Vanvolkenburg allegedly submitted his name six months ago as the taxpayer of record. The county treasurer's office told her that all Vanvolkenburg did was fill out a form asking for tax statements on the house.

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• A SWAT team searched the home Monday evening but Vanvolkenburg was not inside. He left behind his dog and two trailers still parked on the property. [...] The county said they receive about 21,000 taxpayer change of address requests each year and they've never had anything like this happen before.

For the story, see SWAT team called to save hijacked house.