Mansfield Couple Charged With Stealing House

MANSFIELD (CBSDFW.COM) - Two people accused of stealing a Mansfield house are now under arrest.

Andrew James and Alicia Renee LaTour are charged with burglary of a habitation with intent to commit theft.

Officials say the two moved into a vacant Mansfield house using an obscure legal maneuver called adverse possession -- basically, squatter's rights.

The practice has become much more common in Texas during the past several months, and Tarrant County in particular seems to be a hot spot for it.

The day before Thanksgiving, Tarrant County Constable Clint Burgess evicted the LaTours from the $225,000 house.

Tuesday morning, a judge ruled the couple has no rights to the house.  They were then arrested and charged.