Squatters Installed an Alarm System in the House They Took Over to Prevent Squatters

It sounds like a bad joke, but it’s every landlord’s worst nightmare. In northern Spain, a group of squatters broke into a long-abandoned home—then installed a full-blown alarm system to stop anyone else from doing exactly what they just did.

The house sits on the edge of San Miguel de Pedroso, a village in Spain’s Burgos Province. Locals say it had been empty for over 20 years. That changed on April 27, when a group moved in, hurled the old furniture out the window, brought in their own, and hooked up a professional alarm system with a sign out front to prove it.

Squatters Install Alarm System After Taking Over Vacant Property

“They entered a home that isn’t theirs without permission, squatted in it, and are now protecting it from potential theft or squatting,” one stunned resident told Burgos Conecta. “It’s at least curious.”

The squatters even tried registering with local authorities—an attempt that failed—but still haven’t been evicted. The legal owner has filed three complaints with the Guardia Civil. No action. And, as if the house wasn’t enough, they’ve occupied the field next to it, dogs and all, like they’re settling in for the long haul.

Now, the village is on edge. Neighbors are side-eyeing any unfamiliar faces who show up on weekends. Some have started installing their own alarms. Others wonder if their empty family homes might be next. One person told the local outlet that the squatters had clearly scoped out the place in advance, waiting for the perfect moment to move in like some kind of low-stakes heist.

And, thanks to Spain’s squatter laws, the situation might drag on for a while. In some cases, illegal occupants can secure temporary legal protections in under 48 hours. Add a hard-to-reach rural location, a sluggish legal process, and no real enforcement, and you get intruders turning into pseudo-homeowners with working security systems and “keep out” signs.

Neighboring towns are on edge. Squatters are reportedly testing doors in the area, and residents are debating whether to invest in alarms now—or risk having one show up courtesy of their uninvited guests.