After news broke two days ago that Vanilla Ice had been arrested and charged with burglary and grand theft after allegedly stealing furniture, among other items, from a vacant home in Lantana, Florida, the New York Daily News reports that the rapper claimed for months to be the owner of the aforementioned residence.
The publication also quoted the artist — whose given name is Robert Van Winkle — as saying the situation was “a misunderstanding” and that it has been “blown out of proportion.” He continued by saying, “It’ll all get cleared up, you’ll see.”
According to the New York Daily News, the police in Lantana were first notified of the situation on December 26, 2014 after an individual reported squatters at 109. N. Atlantic Drive.
The publication continues by citing the police as saying, “During the investigation, Ice showed up and claimed he’d bought the place nine days before.”
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However, shortly afterwards, it was brought to the police’s attention that the property was bank-owned and that a local realtor named James Lovely, was representing the estate of its late owner, Morgan James Wilbur III, according to the police.
Late last month (January 24), James Lovely reported that the residence — said to be valued at around $2.5 million — had been looted for thousands of dollars’ worth of valuables, including the items in question. “A $1,000 sofa, twelve patio chairs, three bar stools, an iron table and glass top, two bicycles, some artwork, and a $3,000 pool heater,” the New York Daily News quotes the police as saying.
Earlier this month (February 8), Lovely again reported that the house had been looted, this time for a mirrored coffee table and some glass knick-knacks. Police targeted Vanilla Ice after a “confidential source” told them to search a Lake Worth residence owned by his company, Van Rap Ltd. After carrying out a search, the police recovered numerous items in question, including the sofa and the pool heater, among others.
In a statement made under oath, Vanilla Ice told the police that he found most of the items on a curb outside of the house, believing that they were trash. The New York Daily News states that the rapper was booked on felony charges of burglary and grand theft and released from Palm Beach County Jail after posting a $6,000 bond.
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Tommy Quon of TQ Management Agency who represents Vanilla Ice, told The Columbus Dispatch that despite the situation, the rapper-turned-reality television star would still be available to attend the Columbus Dispatch Home and Garden Show tomorrow (February 21) in Columbus, Ohio.
“Rob will be available to make the home show in Columbus,” Quon reportedly wrote in an email.
