When Jamie Lewis received a call from police about a party at her house, she thought it was a prank. But after her husband received a call from their neighbors, Lewis started to believe the outlandish tale about what was unfolding in her home.
On May 3, approximately 200 teens broke into her house and proceeded to throw a “mansion party,” as Lewis put it.
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“The feeling of being, first of all, vandalized and then just 1000% being violated is something that you just don’t ever want to have to deal with,” said Lewis in an interview with FOX5 KVVU-TV.
The teens made entry into the empty home by kicking in the door through her garage. Once police arrived on the scene, the teens began to scramble in all directions.
How did this happen?
The idea of teens breaking into a home in order to throw a wild party might sound like a plot from a movie. But for Lewis, this destructive story unfolded in her own home.
While out of town, Lewis initially didn’t believe the reports that teens were partying in her empty home. But the evidence quickly forced her to accept this painful reality.
“Seeing the videos, and realizing that we needed to get home, we needed to cut our trip short,” she told FOX5.
Although she’s not sure how the party organizers knew she’d be out of town, she’s certain it was all preplanned. In the days leading up to the party, organizers broke the gate into her community to make entry easier for guests and circulated flyers online about the event.
Lewis shared videos of the party from inside her home on social media with the goal of tracking down whoever is responsible for the party — and the damage it caused.
“I will not let this go. I will not let this go. I will refuse to cower and be scared. I will not do it,” said Lewis.
Since posting, Lewis has discovered multiple “mansion parties” have happened all over the Las Vegas area.
“These kids go from house to house, sometimes multiple houses in the same night,” said Lewis. “They charge money at the door, they bring in a DJ.”
So far, Lewis has spent over $12,000, according to Local News Live, repairing the damage left behind. But she still has many repairs to complete before the damage is completely resolved.
Las Vegas Metro Police are still investigating the incident.
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So-called ‘mansion parties’ are on the rise
“Mansion parties” are a growing trend. Essentially, it involves breaking into an expensive home and throwing a party. In most cases, this leaves behind extensive damage.
For example, New York Post reported a recent mansion party in East Nashville caused over $100,000 in damages across two unoccupied, recently built homes. Another mansion party took over a $1 million home in Goodyear, Arizona back in 2022, says Local News Live.
Beyond the damage caused to the property, uninvited guests can open the door to lawsuits against homeowners. If an uninvited guest gets hurt on the property, they might have grounds to sue the homeowner, even though they broke in, President of Greater Los Angeles Realtors Association Anne Russel Sullivan told CBS News last year.
If you’re leaving your home unattended, Lewis says to do everything you can to protect your property from unwelcome visitors. Locking doors and installing security cameras is a good place to start. If possible, install cameras on your property that will alert you to any unexpected movements. That might give you the warning you need to contact the police or race to the property to prevent any further damage.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
