Hanover man, 63, facing felony charge after allegedly breaking into his former home

A Hanover man is facing a felony charge for allegedly breaking into his former residence after being evicted in divorce proceedings, according to court records.

Anthony Joseph Lawrence, 63, of no fixed address, was charged by police with a felony charge of criminal trespass, and a misdemeanor charge of resisting arrest, after police say he allegedly broke into his former residence on Holly Court on Aug. 10, 2024.

A preliminary hearing has not yet been scheduled in the case.

According to an affidavit of probable cause filed by Hanover Borough Police Department, police were called to the home on Holly Court around 2:42 p.m. on Aug. 10, 2024, after the homeowner, Lawrence's ex-wife, reported her ex-husband was attempting to enter the home after Lawrence was evicted during legal and divorce proceedings.

Officers arrived and found that a basement window to the home had been smashed, and received a report of a burglar alarm at the residence from York County 911 dispatchers, the affidavit states.

Hanover police entered the home and found Lawrence inside the rear door of the home, where he retreated further into the house, the affidavit states. Officers pursued him through the home, ending with a struggle in which Lawrence allegedly resisted arrest, according to the affidavit.

It took officers "substantial force" to arrest Lawrence, the affidavit states.

Following Lawrence's arrest, the affidavit said, officers learned that Lawrence had been evicted from the house by the York County Sheriff's Department on July 17, 2024. During the eviction, Lawrence was taken into custody for a civil charge and had been imprisoned until Aug. 10, 2024, the affidavit states.

When officers spoke with Lawrence after reading him his Miranda rights, he told them that the house was his, the affidavit states.

Officers then confirmed with county records that the house was legally and solely transferred to his ex-wife on July 10, 2024, in a court order that stated Lawrence was evicted from the property, according to the affidavit.

Harrison Jones is the Hanover reporter for the Evening Sun. Reach him at hjones@gannett.com .

This article originally appeared on Hanover Evening Sun: Hanover man, 63, facing felony charge after allegedly breaking into his former home