Florida police have seized a $2.5 million mansion from a Brazilian-born squatter after he tried to use an antiquated state law in order to take ownership of the home from Bank of America.
Andre "Loki Boy" Barbosa, 23, claimed the right to live in the empty home under Florida's 'adverse possession statute.'
Emory University law professor Frank Alexander told the Associated Press the law means that "if the squatter remains there and no one complains for seven or more years, then the prior owner may indeed lose their rights to it. [But] at any time, Bank of America -- if it's the owner -- can evict that current squatter."
Boca police and the home's owner of record, Bank of America, seized the foreclosed home early Thursday afternoon and had the locks changed before nightfall.
Sandra Boonenberg, a spokeswoman for the Boca Raton Police Department, said the police arrived at the home Thursday afternoon with a representative from Bank of America "to warn occupants if [they] remained they would be trespassing.
"No one was inside, and the house has been turned over to a Bank of America representative who is now securing the property," said Boonenberg.
"I must say I'm very relieved to see Boca police finally wind up and take these guys out of the house. ... They've done a great job as far as they could," a neighbor told ABC's West Palm Beach affiliate, WPBF.
"A very peaceful end to a very complex matter," Boca Police Chief Dan Alexander said.
