A Seattle man was arrested for loitering outside Taylor Swift’s Tribeca home for the second time in three days, following his previous arrest two days earlier for attempting to break into her New York City apartment.

David Crowe, 33, faces two charges of harassment and stalking, after being apprehended around 6:15 p.m. on Monday. Swift’s security team saw him at 3 p.m. outside her Franklin Street home and quickly called the police. Crowe, though seen wandering, did not make any attempt to enter the premises.

New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers initially struggled to locate the man but quickly found him just around the corner three hours later. He was reported to be “less than a block away from Taylor Swift’s residence” and harassed multiple people on the street.

Crowe had previously been arrested on Saturday as police responded to a report of a “disorderly person” attempting to open the door of Swift’s home. Described with shaggy brown hair and a beard, he was wearing beige trousers and a hoodie during the incident. Crowe also faced charges of failure to answer a 2015 summons. 

According to a Page Six report, a source mentioned the man had been scouring the neighbourhood “for a few weeks,” with another witness claiming to have seen him “lurking here for a month.” Despite multiple calls to the police, the source informed the portal that NYPD officers took no action until the man attempted to enter the singer’s building.

At the time of the latest incident, Taylor Swift did not seem to be at home. Flight records indicate that she had flown from Buffalo to New York City on Sunday night, where she watched her boyfriend Travis Kelce play for the Kansas City Chiefs, and departed for Nashville, Tennessee, on Monday.

Crowe joins a list of repeat offenders lingering around Swift’s property over the years. Last year, Mitchell Taebel, 37, faced arrest for appearing outside her Nashville home. He faced charges of intimidation, harassment, stalking by threatening serious injury or death, and invasion of privacy. 

Keeping safe from stalkers

In the UK, stalking and harassment are defined as repeated behaviours causing fear, distress, or perceived threat, both constituting offences under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.

According to the UK police, stalking may involve behaviours like regularly following someone, repeatedly going uninvited to their home, checking their internet use, email, or other electronic communication, and hanging around places they frequent. 

In worse cases, some stalkers could interfere with an individual’s property, watching or spying on them, and engaging in identity theft, such as signing up for services or making purchases in someone else’s name.

If an individual is experiencing fixated, obsessive, unwanted, and repeated behaviour, they can report the crime or seek advice by contacting the National Stalking Helpline.

As high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) are at a higher risk of falling victim to stalking, hiring close protection officers (CPOs) from security firms like Marengo is recommended. CPOs serve as a visual and physical deterrent to stalkers. They can promptly dissuade contact if a stalker approaches the individual under their protection, ensuring the safety and security of the individual, especially in situations of heightened risk.

In addition, they offer security awareness training for clients and staff to recognise and avoid potential threats. They also conduct discreet internal investigations to safeguard information integrity at home, in the office, and during travel. 

If necessary, CPOs can provide residential security evaluations to enhance the security of HNWIs’ residences.

Individuals who recognise being stalked or harassed are advised to keep a record of events, either written or on a device, with the exact time and date, then contact the local police if it’s not an emergency. In cases of immediate danger from stalkers, calling 999 is advised.