Southampton Thwarts Gang Party in Rental Home

Town of Southampton authorities say members of a dangerous street gang tried to rent a home in the community where they planned to host a large-scale party but investigators thwarted the effort.

Town officials said the house was advertised online as a short-term rental, but was done so illegally because the property lacked a rental permit.

“Not only could a rental such as this have devastating effects on a property, as was seen in the situation that the Police Department responded to in North Sea last year, conducting rentals in this fashion is also an illegal act by the property owner,” said Southampton Town Police Captain James Kiernan.

Town officials neither identified the gang nor the homeowner. But the case served as warning to others.

“Code enforcement is routinely searching the different internet rental platforms to try and identify properties without permits, as well as responding to resident complaints regarding potential illegal rentals,” Town Code Compliance and Emergency Management Administrator Ryan Murphy said. “Property owners who participate in transient, short-term rentals are placing their property at risk and are also committing code violations that could result in summonses.”