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Norman City Council declares house a public nuisance

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NORMAN — People who live near an abandoned house on Cruce Street say trespassers camp out in it, use drugs and generally terrorize the neighborhood.

Teresa Willige told city council members Tuesday she's afraid to let her grandchildren play in the yard unless an adult is outside.

“We're so tired and weary of things going on at this home. We have a good neighborhood, and wonderful neighbors, except for one,” Willige said.

The owner of the house at 1207 Cruce St. has moved to Oklahoma City, but her adult son and others have “camped out” there, causing multiple disturbances, Police Chief Keith Humphrey said.

The house has been the source of more than 70 calls for emergency service in the past 12 months, the police chief said.

“They include, but are not limited to, disturbing the peace, fighting, assaults, sexual assaults, shots fired, stabbings, drugs and robbery,” Humphrey said.

The house is in disrepair and has been declared uninhabitable by city code inspectors. As a result, the occupants were ordered to move out, but trespassers have continued to break into it, the police chief said.

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