The squatted house is located in Théoule-sur-Mer, near Cannes -

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  • On August 21, retirees from Lyon learned that squatters had moved into their secondary home in Théoule-sur-Mer.

  • By law, squatters can only be removed after a court decision.

  • This Tuesday, the couple returned the keys and the house is free of any occupant.

It is an incredible affair, brought up to the ears of the Minister of Housing, and which will be resolved in court.

A couple who squatted the house of two retirees from Lyon in Théoule-sur-Mer (Alpes-Maritimes), is called to appear on October 27 before the criminal court of Grasse for the offense of home invasion, announced the public prosecutor Fabien Atzori this Tuesday.

The story, much commented on for a few days, was revealed by 

Nice-Matin

.

On August 21, the two septuagenarians learned that a couple with children had moved into their vacation home, destined to become their main residence, near Cannes.

An often long procedure

The family had moved there since August 18 or 19, according to the prosecutor, and the owners noted the change of the locks and the electricity contract.

The man who occupies the premises, Abdellad Z., explains that an individual offered them a "squat" and "gave the keys" to this home.

If the couple from Lyonnais first tried to "bring them to their senses" with the support of the municipality, he failed to convince them to leave, relates the regional daily.

For its part, the gendarmerie has received the order to leave the people now domiciled with Henri Kaloustian - the owner of the premises - until a "civil judicial decision" is taken, underlines the prosecutor of Grasse.

According to the law, when a second home is squatted, the police can only intervene within 48 hours of the home breaking and entering.

If this deadline is exceeded, the owner must file a complaint.

And the procedure can be long.

National repercussions

The case quickly gained national resonance.

"The services of the chancellery are studying the file in order to accelerate it", also assured Monday the Minister of Housing Emmanuelle Wargon on CNews.

“I'm not going to wait a year, two years to return to my house.

I have the support of everyone around me, from all over France, things have to move.

I'm not going to stay on the street.

Justice must do its job as quickly as possible,

 “

reacted the owner on the same antenna.

The house now "empty of any occupant"

Last twist, Monday evening.

According to

Nice-Matin

, the squatters left the scene, following an argument.

The woman living with pensioners would of herself have gone to meet the gendarmes on duty to say that she was "afraid of her violent husband".

The latter was arrested and placed in police custody at the Mandelieu gendarmerie.

This Tuesday, the keys to the house were handed over "to the owner's agent".

The house is now free of any occupant, concludes the prosecutor of Grasse.

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