Residents of a small Oregon condo complex were taken aback to find out that a man had taken up long-term residence in the crawl space of one of the units, as reported by local police and shared in photos.
Beniamin Boucour, 40, managed to access a storage area in the Happy Valley condominium—just a short drive from Portland. He apparently brought in lighting, furniture, a television, and even an Xbox, transforming the space into what could be called a makeshift home.
This unusual situation came to light on Wednesday when sheriff’s deputies responded to a late-night call from the condo.
The call came from a resident who noticed that the crawl space door was left ajar, emitting a light from inside. This was particularly concerning because, as the homeowners informed authorities, there shouldn’t have been any power available in that area.
Interestingly, the sheriff’s office mentioned that residents had reported hearing strange noises from the crawl spaces before, but those instances hadn’t prompted any investigation.
Upon their arrival, deputies found Boucour surrounded by a collection of stolen items, including beds, televisions, chargers, and other electronics all siphoning power from the house.
Photos taken by the sheriff’s deputies showed various items, like an Xbox controller, an electric fan, and a frayed camping chair.
Authorities stated that Boucour appeared to have “taken significant steps to make the conditions within that crawl space more livable,” suggesting he had truly settled in.
He was reportedly charged with first-degree robbery and, later, for illegal possession of methamphetamine after authorities discovered a pipe containing white residue at his makeshift residence.
Boucour now finds himself trading his crawl space for a cell in Clackamas County Jail, where he is being held on a $75,000 bond.
A woman, who claimed to co-parent a 5-year-old daughter with Boucour, even apologized on his behalf via social media, stating, “Prison and probation are the only things that keep him clean.”
Despite the circumstances, some commenters expressed a strange admiration for Boucour’s resourcefulness, even if it was a strain on someone else’s electricity bill.
One commenter noted, “This is actually a pretty clever way to avoid the streets,” while another quipped, “If you’re looking to save on rent, it’s a pretty original idea.”
