Man Attempts to Break Into Taylor Swift’s Apartment

A man has been charged with criminal trespassing after attempting to break into Taylor Swift’s New York apartment, claiming he and the pop star were friends (photo courtesy AP News).

New York police said on Monday that a 52-year-old man who claimed he had communication with Taylor Swift over social media was arrested on a trespassing charge. The stalker’s name was Hanks Johnson, and he was caught trying to break into the singer’s Manhattan apartment without permission. He was charged with criminal trespass and released on his own recognizance after an arrangement Sunday night. It was not clear if he had an attorney. It was reported that outside the courthouse, Johnson showed that he had sent direct messages to Swift’s Instagram account, then claimed text suggestions on his phone were replies from her.

This was not the first time Johnson has been caught stalking. He proudly showed reporters a restraining order barring him from contacting models Bella and Gigi Hadid, who are both friends of Swift’s. Swift has had to deal with several stalkers at her homes on both coasts since her rise to fame. A different man was arrested for breaking into her New York apartments in 2018.