More surveillance cameras and police patrols to stamp out squatting in Mijas
There are more than 200 registered housing developments comprising first homes and "many others as second homes, which increases the chances that they could be occupied", point out sources from the Local Police force
Mijas Local Police force is ramping up its patrols throughout various residential developments in the Costa del Sol municipality following an increase in reports of squatting.
It comes after an incident last week where a resident alerted police to squatters who had started occupying a house in El Faro. The resident knew the owner of the house and that he lives most of the year in the north of Spain, so once activity was noticed at the house, police were alerted.
Mijas Local Police arrived and confirmed the property was being squatted. The illegal squatters, who left the house voluntarily, are now being prosecuted as the alleged perpetrators of a home invasion offence. Meanwhile, the homeowner was called and notified about the incident.
However, such a smooth outcome is not common in this type of case, which, Mijas Local Police warn, have increased notably in the past year. Police will increase patrols "on all shifts and across all days of the week" as a result.
Mijas is made up of more than 200 registered housing developments comprising first homes and "many others as second homes, which increases the chances that they could be occupied", pointed out sources from Mijas Local Police.
More surveillance cameras
Police also pointed out the importance of a warning call from residents in the event they detect squatting, which can help to bring about a quicker and easier outcome, as happened recently in El Faro.
Mijas town hall also announced its intention to increase security on the town residential developments by installing surveillance cameras. "Mijas is the third largest municipality in Malaga province, and we need to do this for our residents," said councillor Juan Carlos Cuevas Dawson.
