Westerly Police: Man Looking For Taylor Swift Had Burglary Tools

WATCH HILL, RI—The mansion atop Bluff Avenue in Watch Hill, a village in the town of Westerly, Rhode Island, attracts many hoping to get a peek at pop star Taylor Swift. The $17 million mansion overlooking Block Island Sound is a fortress of sorts though and access is all but impossible.

That said, Westerly Police Chief Shawn Lacey told Patch that officers responded to a call of a suspicious person in the Watch Hill area around Swift's mansion on July 19 and found David Liddle, 32, of Des Moines, Iowa.

Liddle, who was already on Swift's security teams' watch list, was carrying a backpack with an aluminum bat sticking out when police located him. Lacey said he tried to scurry off when police approached him.

Inside the bag, police found more than two dozen lock-picks, a crowbar, screwdriver and other tools, a flashlight, and rubber gloves. Lacey confirmed reporting by The Westerly Sun that Liddle "has history ...and could pose a threat," and may have showed up to other Swift properties previously.

Lacey said Liddle told officers he was just trying to "catch up" with Swift. Liddle claimed to have a personal relationship with the pop star.

Liddle was charged with possessing burglar tools and a weapon other than a firearm, presumably the bat. Liddle remains in custody on a $10,000 bond. And court documents show there's already a waiver of extradition in place in the event he does come up with the bail money, he's held, Lacey said.

According to online RI judicial records, he was issued a no-contact order which means he cannot come anywhere near Swift's mansion.

In April, a man crashed a reported stolen car into the gate at Swift's waterfront home. Swift took it in stride.