Score another one for law and order in the Big Apple: Food Network squatter Madison Cowan has lost his perch. 

The celebrity chef has exploited the legal chaos around squatting in New York City for 4½ years, racking up more than $145,000 in unpaid renton a pad in tony Boerum Hill,not paying a cent since January 2020.

At first, he worked the insanely overextended state COVID-era eviction moratorium.

When that nonsense ended in 2022, he ducked and dodged through a legal system that extends every possible courtesy to thieves like him and places a massive onus on rightful owners — skirting five separate eviction orders. 

He’s gone now, thank goodness.

But the actual owner of the place expects not to see a dime of the six-figure sum Cowan owes him.

Remember: What Cowan did is not morally different from simply stealing $145,000-plus in cash from someone else’s bank account.

But he’s clearly going to get away with it. 

Worse, this isn’t even the first time Cowan’s committed this crime: On a Concord Street apartment in downtown Brooklyn he lived in years ago, he failed to pay some $46,200 in rent between 2012 and 2015. 

Chump change, in comparison. Cowan’s clearly upped his game since. 

And while it’s good he’s gone, the whole ugly story holds crucial lessons for New York City and state lawmakers. 

Squatting is not a crime of poverty. 

Cowan’s an accomplished professional who’s cooked for the stars and won big-time TV chef competitions; he has no reason to steal beyond his own obvious greed and contempt for his victims. 

And lawmakers need to keep pushing on the issue, possibly by creating an expedited removal process for this kind of situation. 

Four and a half years is too long, guys. One day is too long.

Otherwise, would-be crooks are will only be emboldened by Cowan’s ugly success.