(STORY IMAGE:KHQ.COM)
SPOKANE, Wash. -After squatters threaten neighborhood kids, the community is taking matters into their own hands- banding together to get them out.
Folks in northwest Spokane say they were at their wits end because of trouble-making squatters, so they worked together to board up that house.
Neighbors say that they have seen people casing the house over the last 24 hours, but say the people squatting here have not returned and with the windows and doors boarded up, they hope this will put a stop to the trouble.
The last straw came yesterday when the squatters started to cause trouble with kids walking to school.
"Enough is enough at some point you have an innocent fourteen year old kid walking to school shouldn't be threatened with a giant 14 inch butcher knife," said Jared Evers who keeps a watchful eye on the neighborhood.
Using a table saw and power drills, they boarded the house up window by window and the front door so no one can get inside.
Squatters allegedly told neighbors that they bought the house from Chase Bank for $20,000. But according to the real estate website Zillow, the last time this house sold was in 1977 for $24,000. According to the county's property information website, "the lady passed away four years ago and there is no owner of this home currently," Evers confirmed.
Jared has a message for those who do have an abandon house next to them:
"Just keep an eye out. These guys come and go in the middle of the night."