Stalker-plagued Taylor Swift has break-in at New York home

NEW YORK — An alleged stalker of pop superstar Taylor Swift was arrested after she suffered a break-in at her New York apartment, police said Monday (April 19).

Hanks Johnson, 52, was charged with criminal trespassing after police responded to an emergency call on Saturday, reporting that someone was breaking into Swift's home in the Tribeca neighbourhood of Manhattan.

Johnson was released on his own recognisance following an arraignment in Manhattan criminal court Sunday night.

According to the New York Daily News, Johnson had shown up at Swift's building to ring the doorbell at least five times over the past six months.

The 31-year-old Swift — who is back on top of the charts following the release of her re-recording of her hit Fearless album — has been a victim of stalking at her various properties for years.

In June 2019 an Iowa man was arrested after travelling to Rhode Island, where she owns a home, with burglary tools including an aluminium baseball bat and plans to "visit" Swift.

Roger Alvarado was arrested multiple times for breaking into her Manhattan home in recent years.

The pop phenom has cited violence as one of her "greatest fears," and in the past reportedly has deployed facial recognition technology at some concerts to identify potential stalkers in the crowd. AFP