Police: Man may be scamming renters

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Albuquerque Police are investigating a business owner who appears to be renting foreclosed homes that he doesn't own and pocketing the money.

Police believe Shaun Anaya, who owns Olive Tree Property Management and Caretakers, has scammed numerous people.

"It appears some of these homes are going on foreclosure or short sales, and (Anaya is) going in there without a contract and basically renting these homes out," said Sgt. Pat Ficke with the Albuquerque Police Department.

Police responded on Nov. 6 to a call from neighbors living on Finch Street on the southwest mesa about someone living in a vacant, foreclosed home.

"I thought it was squatters, that someone broke into the house and were staying for free," said neighbor Tina Conary. "I called the (previous) homeowner who was living here and she said no no one is supposed to be in there."

The man living in the home had only been there for two days and told police he thought he was renting from Olive Tree.

A police source says Anaya may have been finding foreclosed homes, changing the locks and then renting them out.

Earlier this year, another renter told officers he paid more than $900 to Olive Tree to rent a home on Crandall Southwest. According to a police incident report, the man was kicked out a week later by a surprised real estate agent who'd just sold the home.

The report states Anaya couldn't give officers a direct answer when they started asking questions about his business last week.

Anaya has not been charged with anything, but police said the investigation is still ongoing.

According to online court records, Anaya has been arrested over the years for forgery, fraud, battery and drugs.