The younger officer told Daniel he needed to remove himself from the property immediately and warned him that any further attempt to restrict access or reenter without permission could result in trespassing or more serious charges depending on the circumstances. Then he looked at the new lock and asked who installed it. Daniel named the locksmith company. Joanna, still on speaker, said she’d be contacting them for records.

Before we went inside, I asked the officers to stay while we checked the house.

I’m glad I did.

Daniel had not merely changed the locks. He had staged the place.