“There is no concrete proof that someone has been gaining entry to the house through the ceiling.”
These are words spoken by the son of the owner of the Forderville property where a family claims that intruders are gaining entry through the ceiling.
Last week, the family of three told of their month-long dilemma that has kept them up at night, fearful that someone was unlawfully getting into their home, using their groceries and bathroom, and even sleeping in their bed.
READ THE STORY HERE: Family discovers ‘ceiling squatters’ in their home
The owner, who rents the home to the family, arrived in Estcourt on Saturday morning (October 15) to address the claims that the tenants have made.
They have requested to remain anonymous due to the threat of possible victimisation.
The owner, son and son-in-law personally performed a thorough inspection of the roof and ceiling, and say there is no evidence that anyone is using the roof to get into the ceiling before coming into the house.
“We have been on the roof and none of the tiles have been removed. We have been in the ceiling and there is no evidence of people in there; no footprints or clothing and there is a layer of settled dust,” he said.
With regards to the brandering that has a cut on the right side above the geyser, the owner has confirmed that this is where the geyser was installed via roof access when it was replaced; they cut the plastic and did not seal it after installation.
The owner’s son further explained that when the family first told him of their concerns, he came to Estcourt within a day to investigate and install an alarm system in the house.
“I didn’t find any forced entry at the time and nothing was touched,” he related.
While the son is concerned for the safety of the family, he says there is no evidence to support their claims.
“It is virtually impossible for someone to live inside a ceiling; you can’t even breathe in there. The information in last week’s article is 100% misleading,” he said.
“In addition, it would be very difficult to enter and exit the trap door without a ladder,” he added.
When meeting with the family on Saturday, the tenant was also uncertain whether someone had indeed exited the trap door and confirmed that there had been no incidents since the alarm was installed in the home.
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