Rosa Rossi-this is one of the most unbelievable stories I’ve ever covered in court. Stay with me. Rossi was a SGT of Victoria Police. She used the LEAP database to find properties that were vacant around Melbourne. @7NewsMelbourne
Rossi then hired locksmiths and tricked them into believing she was the true owner of those houses - and had them change all the locks. @7NewsMelbourne
She then advertised the properties on gumtree and met potential tenants to show them through the houses, then she signed them up. There were five all up.
Neighbours of one property were a little suss so they contacted the rightful owners to say - Hey, there’s people in your house?
Rossi was trying to acquire the properties under ‘adverse possession’.
Adverse possession is a property law that allows a person to take possession of land they don’t own. To do so they have to be in possession of the land uninterrupted for 15 years.
Adverse possession is a property law that allows a person to take possession of land they don’t own. To do so they have to be in possession of the land uninterrupted for 15 years.
But how did she do this I hear you ask? Well, Rossi was backdating documents to show this and redirecting mail so owners wouldn’t know what was happening. She also had councils change the addresses on rates notices.
She also turned up at one council in uniform and asked for property details. They said they’d email them - she insisted they be written down on the spot for her.
One property owner had all of his possessions in the house as well as family heirlooms when Rossi changed the locks. He was overseas and had to rely on his neighbours to find out what was going on at his house. #awful
Neither the prosecution or defence have been able to find any similar cases to this. The judge says ‘this doesn’t surprise me it’s extraordinary’.
Rossi’s barrister says she was depressed throughout the time of her offending. It’s claimed her motivation was to obtain a extensive property portfolio.
This dream seems to be over for Rossi. The property mogul one. Her new occupation is hairdresser and farmer. Waiting on details about her status with Vic Pol.
On one occasion cops were called on Rossi while she was in a property. The boys in blue turned up and she told them not to worry about it because ‘she was a cop’. The judge told the court: #shedidntsaywow #justthatsbad
Ok. Everyone agrees this story is wild. All parties need some time to go through the law and make sure they’re all on the same page. Plea adjourned for today. Rossi remains on bail. I’ll do a story for the news tonight. Sans gifs.
