Taylor Swift Escapes a Scary Encounter With a Stalker as He Breaks into Her Apartment
Taylor Swift had another harrowing encounter with an alleged stalker over the weekend. On Saturday morning, a man was arrested while attempting to break into the pop star’s New York City apartment. Swift was fortunately not home at the time, but the chilling invasion of privacy is the latest in a long pattern of stalking and threatening behavior she has faced from overzealous fans.
Despite security measures like facial recognition technology at concerts, Swift continues to deal with frightening incidents that highlight the need for stronger legal protections.
What happened during the stalker incident with Taylor Swift?
According to Daily Mail, Police responded to a call about a “disorderly person” outside Swift’s Tribeca apartment building on January 21. They arrived to find a man who had tried opening a door to get inside.
“He didn’t resist. There was no yelling or anything,” an eyewitness told Page Six about the incident.
The man, who police referred to as “David,” had lingered around Swift’s building and approached her door earlier that day. After the failed break-in attempt, he was quickly apprehended by police. Swift was not home at the time, having been spotted out in New York City on Thursday.
This chilling invasion of privacy is unfortunately nothing new for Taylor Swift. The Anti-Hero singer has faced a long list of stalkers and threatening situations in recent years.
In May 2022, a man named Mitchel Taebel was arrested for trespassing at Swift’s Nashville home after sending threatening messages to her team members. Another fan named Eric Swarbrick got prison time in 2020 for sending dozens of threatening letters to Swift’s record label.
“You get enough stalkers trying to break into your house and you kind of start prepping for bad things,” she told Elle in 2021.
Perhaps most unsettling, multiple men have been caught trying to enter Swift’s NYC apartment building.
Also Read: “I can’t think about anything else”: Taylor Swift was Ready to Fight Tooth and Nail for an Actor Cat
What security measures has Taylor Swift taken?
To protect herself from potential violence, Swift has begun taking safety precautions like carrying emergency medical supplies.
“My fear of violence has continued into my personal life. I carry QuikClot army grade bandage dressing, which is for gunshot or stab wounds,” she told Elle.
Swift also reportedly uses facial recognition technology at concerts to identify potential stalkers in the crowd. Her latest Eras Tour only sells verified fan tickets to cut down on security risks.
Despite often feeling unsafe due to stalkers, Swift continues shining a light on the issue to advocate for stronger legal protections for public figures and victims. While Swift avoided harm in this latest incident, many experts argue that current stalking laws don’t go far enough to prevent and punish stalking behaviors.
“Stalking is more prevalent and more dangerous than current legislation recognizes,” University of Wyoming criminal justice professor Nicole Wilkes told Elle in 2021. “Stalking laws do not adequately address or deter stalking behavior.”
Advocates say more states should adopt strong anti-stalking laws allowing police to act before the stalking escalates. However, only 30 states currently have such laws. Stronger penalties for stalkers are also needed, especially those fixated on celebrities.
Until then, stars like Swift remain vulnerable to frightening stalker incidents. Her latest close call shows that bolder actions are urgently required nationwide to prevent such harassment.
