S. Florida Woman Accused Of Grand Theft, Uttering Forged Instrument For Allegedly Hijacking Title To Home, Then Attempting To Evict Occupant

In Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports:

• In South Florida, thieves will try to steal anything — even your home.
  
  A Lauderhill woman is accused of filing bogus paperwork at the Broward Government Center to transfer a Southwest Ranches property to her name and seize ownership of the home. She even tried to evict the woman who lived there.
  
  Neither the renter nor homeowner knew Marlene Baptiste, now charged with grand theft — and neither had any inkling she had set her sights on the property in the 6900 block of Southwest 185th Way, authorities said. Although Baptiste, 39, is now charged with grand theft, her case highlights how vulnerable South Floridians' homes are to strangers' attempts to seize them.
  
  Homeowners should use public records online to their advantage — just as thieves do, said Sunrise real estate lawyer Gary Singer.
  
  "It's impossible really to stop someone from fraudulently signing your name and filing it in the public record," he said. "Your house is your biggest investment. Just like protecting yourself against identity theft, you have to also check your public records and make sure no funny business is on it, because it does happen."

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• According to a Broward Sheriff's Office report, Baptiste was arrested Feb. 26 and charged with grand theft over $100,000, uttering a forged instrument and refusing to supply a DNA sample.

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• The Sheriff's Office said visitor logs and surveillance video showed Baptiste enter the Broward County Governmental Center, 115 S. Andrews Ave., and file the fraudulent quit claim deed in October.
  
  Last May, Eddie Banks, 40, allegedly took it a step further — after fraudulently recording a deed, he moved into a bank-owned Oakland Park home in the 800 block of Northeast 47th Court.
  
  When a bank representative contacted authorities, Banks called the Sheriff's Office to report someone had broken into his home. Banks was ultimately charged with burglary and grand theft.

For the story, see Can your home be stolen? That's what woman tried in Southwest Ranches, authorities say.