News and Real Estate Trends For Coconut Grove & Coral Gables Luxury Real Estate

No Trespassing – Violators Will Be Prosecuted September 12th, 2014

No Trespasing © (Chance Agrilla)/123rf.com

New Coral Gables ordinance was passed by Commissioners unanimously as an “emergency measure” to help make the residents of Coral Gables feel secure.  On August 14th teens entered the home of NBA Heat star Ray Allen and allegedly were just trespassing for “gawking purposes”.  In the past the law did not allow Coral Gables police to arrest trespassers in private homes unless they actually saw the incident.  As of Tuesday a new law approved by the city commissioner changes that.

The new law in Coral Gables makes trespassing a municipal ordinance violation allowing officers to arrest trespassers.  The law also makes it unlawful to “willfully enter or observe the interior of a dwelling where there is reasonable explanation of privacy” like a bedroom.  This provision could possibly turn trespassing into burglary.

“The city’s ordinance urges the Florida legislator to amend state law to allow police to arrest a suspect who commits trespass of an occupied dwelling, whether or not it occurs in the presence of an officer, or by classifying trespass in an occupied dwelling as a third-degree felony”.  Trespassing is now a first-degree misdemeanor.

 http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/08/26/4310873/new-coral-gables-law-takes-aim.html