Stalker arrested at Taylor Swift's New York building

A stalker who claims pop star Taylor Swift is communicating with him on social media was arrested on a trespassing charge after trying to break into the singer's Manhattan apartment, police said Monday.

Hanks Johnson, 52, was arrested at 8.30pm Saturday (US Time) after a 911 caller reported he was inside Swift's Tribeca building without permission, a police spokesperson said.

According to the criminal complaint against him, Johnson told police, "She knows that I'm coming here, we're friends."

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A security employee of Swift's told police that Johnson had rung the doorbell and tried to enter the building at least five times over the last six months, the complaint states. The security guard said he had personally told Johnson he was not welcome there.

Johnson was charged with criminal trespass and released on his own recognisance after an arraignment Sunday night. It wasn't clear if he had an attorney who could comment.

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The Daily News reports that outside the courthouse, Johnson made a show of sending direct messages to Swift's Instagram account and claimed the predictive text suggestions on his phone were replies from her.