'Home invasion' linked to Xuhui relocation dispute

• Source: Global Times
• [08:13 August 03 2010]
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By Li Xiang

Local police are investigating a housing dispute between a local resident and a relocation company, after the man claimed that two of his homes in Xuhui district were broken into on Sunday morning.

Wu Yuqing claimed that 40 men rushed into two of his properties in the Ziyang Huayuan residential compound that were given to him in exchange for relocating from Huapu village on the outskirts of Xuhui district last June to make room for the construction of a liquified gas station and a residential compound.

"They cracked the lock and dismantled the windows and the doors to both apartments," Wu told the Global Times Monday. "Our home appliances and utensils were smashed and tossed out the window."

Wu said that family belongings were emptied from his home, including bank cards, but said he was unsure where the "bandits" came from.

But according to an official surnamed Qiao from Huapu village, the apartments do not belong to Wu, who was unable to provide home ownership documents to the Global Times Monday.

"Wu is just unsatisfied with the compensation terms of his relocation, so he is lying about what happened to try and get more," Qiao told the Global Times Monday.

Qiao said that the apartments in question were purchased by individual homebuyers at the end of 2008, and was unsure why Wu was living in the homes. The owners of the homes could not be reached by the Global Times Monday.

According to a man surnamed Ding, who works for the Shanghai China Real Estate Development, a State-owned company in charge of the relocation, Wu was previously compensated with two other apartments in Xuhui district, in accordance with the law at the time of the relocation.

Ding said that workers had been sent to the homes on Sunday to complete a redecoration project earlier tasked to them.

Meanwhile, police in Xuhui district said Monday that they are cooperating with police from Huajing town, which jurisdiction covers Huapu village, in their investigation of the case.