Caught tresspassing in an abandoned building

[Tushana]

You guys are probably prime targets of the police. The city can make money with fines and you will not shoot at the officers.

is this where you are staying

[Goose]

while this may be an insignificant offense, doesn't it put the city on the hook for millions if something were to happen to the trespasser? a slip or a fall, or a ceiling tile smashing someone's head, like what happened to omarosa? i never had the guts to go urban exploring, for fear of encountering a hostile individual, or a few locals that wanted to put a good scare into an interloper. additionally, i remember the highland township train-hoppers that were raped, beaten, and murdered in flint - started as a little adventure, and ended with kids finding themselves in an unfamiliar environment with no access to help.

i'm surprised i haven't heard more tales of misadventure with urban exploring, but then again - i wonder if folks have been threatened, beaten, mugged, or otherwise violated - and have been afraid to report what happened because of being in the wrong - or concerns about the police ignoring the "brought it on yourself" crime?

i don't take this offense as lightly as others, for the reasons mentioned. just because a city is plagued by crime doesn't mean there's a threshold for crimes that should be ignored. if you offend, and get caught: pay the price. it sounds like the original posters accepts his misdeeds. but despite the illegality of the transgression - wow, what a terrible risk to take with one's safety!

for similar reasons, i avoid belle isle........

[wolverine]

You guys are probably prime targets of the police. The city can make money with fines and you will not shoot at the officers.

They can shoot with their cameras!

[Bearinabox]

for similar reasons, i avoid belle isle........

Your loss.

[windsor_shane]

something along these line... im going to be attending Lawrence Tech next year, i used to do quite a bit of urban exploring, never vandalize or steal anything, the only think i took was photos.. but what has deterred me is that i found out if i have even one minor offense i could be disqualified from getting a student or work visa! this really bums me out, i love photography and Detroit abandonment is my favorite subject, yet i cannot risk it..

looks like its exterior shots only from now on! - especially after hearing this story.

[Warrenite84]

Avoid the Masonic Temple area-too many suspicious cops chomping at the bit to bust johns, and anyone else THEY feel don't belong there...even for picture taking! [[nice buildings nearby)

[LeannaM]

In a way, I appreciate those who take photos of the buildings on the inside. It's a glimpse that the rest of us never get. At the same time, some places are probably entered way too much, and that may cause further damage to the structure.

And if an urban explorer taking pictures finds an opening, that may alert others that there is a way to get in there.

[Gistok]

for similar reasons, i avoid belle isle........

Well then I guess your paranoia will mean you'll miss the Forum Picnic....

[Novack]

trespasser eh!

I would have taken you out back and shot ya.

Damn urban explorers.

[jbd441]

while this may be an insignificant offense, doesn't it put the city on the hook for millions if something were to happen to the trespasser? a slip or a fall, or a ceiling tile smashing someone's head, like what happened to omarosa? i never had the guts to go urban exploring, for fear of encountering a hostile individual, or a few locals that wanted to put a good scare into an interloper. additionally, i remember the highland township train-hoppers that were raped, beaten, and murdered in flint - started as a little adventure, and ended with kids finding themselves in an unfamiliar environment with no access to help.

i'm surprised i haven't heard more tales of misadventure with urban exploring, but then again - i wonder if folks have been threatened, beaten, mugged, or otherwise violated - and have been afraid to report what happened because of being in the wrong - or concerns about the police ignoring the "brought it on yourself" crime?

i don't take this offense as lightly as others, for the reasons mentioned. just because a city is plagued by crime doesn't mean there's a threshold for crimes that should be ignored. if you offend, and get caught: pay the price. it sounds like the original posters accepts his misdeeds. but despite the illegality of the transgression - wow, what a terrible risk to take with one's safety!

Bingo. Lawsuit in the making even if there are no trepassing signs posted.

[Downriviera]

Not surprised by this...the city will need much $$$ to pay Geoffrey Fieger.

[GOAT]

You idiots are trespassing. Plain and simple. You get what you deserve so quit whining.

[wolverine]

You idiots are trespassing. Plain and simple. You get what you deserve so quit whining.

It's not plain and simple. The city has enabled it to go on for so long. It's not one sided. They got lucky and were able to bust someone for trespassing on DPS property but it's not going to work the same way across the board. If someone comes up and stands in the doorway of your home, tell me....what would you do? Think the same thing will happen here? One situation isn't going to stop the hundreds of people who go shuffling through abandoned warehouses across the city. The authorities still don't take the issue seriously. Building owners don't take the issue seriously. And I'm guessing most of the Detroit population doesn't either. I'm certain you try to get into a vacant school in any other city the police would have you locked up right away. But in Detroit, definitely not.

[GOAT]

The city enabled it? Why because people need a sign to tell them not to go into a building they don't own?
Has the Detroit "family" gone down to the lowest common denominator now? An empty building whether closed up or not does not warrant anyone the right to go into it.

You are correct people will continue to do it so I hope the DPD continues to fine people...more $$ for the city coffers.

I say hurrah for the cop for busting the guy. Take care of the small things and the larger ones take care of themselves [[or don't get started at all).

[rsa.313]

i don't want to get into this pissing match about the "evils of urban exploration", but it's not as simple as posted above. yes the definition of trespassing is to go onto property that is owned by someone else. however to prosecute for trespassing, you have to prove there was knowledgable intent and refusal to vacate. eg. if there was no sign posted and no one asked the person to leave, it would be difficult to actually prosecute for it.

750.552 Trespass upon lands or premises of another; penalty.

Sec. 552.
Any person who shall wilfully enter, upon the lands or premises of another without lawful authority, after having been forbidden so to do by the owner or occupant, agent or servant of the owner or occupant, or any person being upon the land or premises of another, upon being notified to depart therefrom by the owner or occupant, the agent or servant of either, who without lawful authority neglects or refuses to depart therefrom, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than 30 days or by a fine of not more than $50.00, or both, in the discretion of the court.

History: Add. 1951, Act 102, Imd. Eff. May 31, 1951

[agirlintheD]

Take care of the small things and the larger ones take care of themselves [[or don't get started at all).

Goat, this could be an answer to another thread about how to solve the city's crime problems!!!

[wolverine]

The city enabled it? Why because people need a sign to tell them not to go into a building they don't own?

Please...take a moment to remind yourself of the general state of things in Detroit.

I can't even imagine owning an empty house in that city for even a day.

[detroitbob66]

I, like Detroit Zack [[even some with), have been in too many to count Detroit abandoned buildings and have never gotten a ticket. I know that you got the ticket because it was Brietmeyer and they were watching that school and Sherrard School very close. I did get asked what I was doing at Brietmeyer and Sherrard when I was there no less then a month ago. Any building that they are demolishing, you have got to be extra cautious because they are heavily guarded by watchmen. Thanks and sorry about your ticket. Be sure to post what happens, so I know what to expect when my time comes.

[Islandman]

Hell, we've filmed in some of the abandoned buildings down by the river for DAYS and no oned bothered us. It's just a matter of right place and right time. As for the legality of it? Apathetic to it really.

[detroitbob66]

This evening, an explorer friend of mine and user of this website, nearly got caught by Highland Parks finest in the old St. Luke's Rehab. As we entered the kitchen area, I heard a car that was creeping very slow from the open window nearby. The window was very high so we could not see out of it, but the door was open a crack, so I decided to peek out. As I was getting ready to open the door, I heard the crunching of little rocks hitting moving tires coming right at the door, so I positioned myself inside the doorway so that could see [[barely) outside and watch Highland Park Police drive by very slow. They were driving in an old alleyway behind St. Luke's so somebody must have called them or they saw our car outside the building. Either way, they continued to drive around the building a few times, as we ran through the building to various windows to watch. We were both very scared and nervous and tried to be quiet, but made more noise then ever! HAHA LOL! There was a time where I nearly was spotted through the third floor window, but managed to somehow dodge the officers glance. Then the police car made a siren/horn sound and I thought that he was going to get on the loud horn, but just drove away. We stayed inside the building for some time up on the fourth floor [[top floor), in fear that he might decide to come inside to look around, but never did....thank god! We ran to various windows to watch our car and to see if he was still in the area, but it appeared that he got bored and left. Very nervously and carefully, we walked back down to the first floor and made a jolt for the car out the entrance that we came in. We got in the car and took of nt looking behind us and we were free, barely getting away from the police. Either he saw the car, or got a call, but he certainly didn't bother to much to investigate, so we luckily got away!

[DetroitZack]

Who is this fellow explorer you speak of :-D

[Django]

dbob66, My friend and I had a similar experience in the old Boblo building. It was about 3 am and some security spotted us with their badass spotlights from across the big parking lot on the NW side of the building. We just climbed to the roof and watched them scratch their heads and shine their lights at the building hoping we would walk out into their cuffs. They weren't about to come in the building after us. Ive come out of abandoned buildings and talked to cops on the way out explaining that I was just exploring, they looked at me as if I were crazy and said they would never go in someplace like that.

Personally I like the fact that ppl think there are all kinds of violent rabid homeless and crazy cracked out dogs living in all corners of every vacant, because it keeps the traffic inside to a minimum leaving a more pristine experience to be had for the more adventurous.

As far as lawsuits are concerned, I would think that if it were that easy to sue the city while "trespassing" every late night tv lawyer would have a commercial asking if you slip and fell in an abandoned building in Detroit. I myself have had two pretty serious accidents in the vacants but never thought to sue, but for me it was just the fact that I took the chance and I paid the price [[yes Retroit and Goat I hear you clapping).

Trespassing? I grew up in the country and we trespassed all the time in different woods and swamps around my house. If the property owner didnt want people on his land he would put signs up and we would obey and not trespass, but for the most part we roamed wherever we wanted. We were no doubt on someones property and were trespassing, but no one cared. I take that same view here in the city, if a property owner really doesn't want someone on their property they take precautions to keep ppl out, and if they dont they dont and its fair game. Sheeeeeeeeit, we had one farmer with a shotgun all cranky about trespassers and blowin off a round over our heads when he saw us on his property, it might be safer here in the D, and its a very well known fact that rednecks have better aim than city folk.

If someones starting a tour company of the vacants in Detroit please let me know where to put in my app as a tour guide.

[Collegekid13]

So has anyone found out what happens? I just got a misdemeanor trespassing ticket in Highland Park, just walking around in the Highland Park Adult Ed. building. I have a perfect record with nothing on it and am a just a college student. I think it will get reduced to something, just hopefully something that will be off my record [[like loitering or something that is civil, not criminal). As of right now I'm still waiting for my court date.

[Johnnny5]

So has anyone found out what happens? I just got a misdemeanor trespassing ticket in Highland Park, just walking around in the Highland Park Adult Ed. building. I have a perfect record with nothing on it and am a just a college student. I think it will get reduced to something, just hopefully something that will be off my record [[like loitering or something that is civil, not criminal). As of right now I'm still waiting for my court date.

I'm not sure how Highland Park handles it, but I received a trespassing ticket in MIlford when I was 17. I was at a large party that the police had broken up, and inadvertently crossed over onto the neighboring property. There were about a dozen people that received the same ticket and we all ended up with the same court date. Those ahead of me were issued a fine of $50, so I plead guilty and paid the fine. As far as I know it's not on my record, and has never been an issue. I've gone through multiple background checks for employment and miscellaneous licensing, and it has never been an issue.