So wife's uncle who is elderly (80+) but gets around on his own, had to go into hospital for a few weeks. After a week or so, asks family member to go to home and get a few things. Family member gets them, but says hey, did you know someone is staying in your house? He says WTF. They ask me on T-Day to solve the problem.
To Be Continued.....
Said Uncle won the largest Texas Lotto at the time, about 10-15 years ago. There were three other winners, so he split it 4 ways. As a result, he is a "celebrity" at least among the scamsters and FSA types who to this day are begging him, offering him deals, etc. You name it.
I asked his sister who went to the house some basic info about who was living there and what was going on. Appeared to be a single male 60s who had car on driveway. Did not appear to be trashing house or stealing stuff, but was helping himself to whatever he found - TV, food, clothes, etc. No keys to house were missing, sister had a copy, and uncle gave her his copy to get in. Time for me to take action....
To Be Continued.....
So next day I head over to hospital, and get written permission from uncle to be caretaker of home (have "apparent authority to act for the owner") as well as get his keys. No problem with that. I go to his house there is the car on driveway. I stake it out and see someone coming and going. I decide to sit on it till he leaves, than go in and see what is going on for myself. three hours later, he finally leaves, and he is alone and appears to be 60s or so (gray hair, etc). I take pictures of him and his car of course.
I park on driveway and head in. Doors unlocked. Nobody else home. All windows and doors are unlocked, but none are forced. Keys match all doors so no locks changed. Search of house reveals nothing obviously removed. Kitchen has been used - fresh dirty dishes, near-empty refrigerator, etc. I lock doors and wait for him to come back.
To Be Continued.....
So after almost an hour, someone tries to come in front door (I locked it). I quickly answer door, and the guy is on porch.
ME: Can I help you?
HIM: He looks at me and realizes I am not uncle.
HIM: Uh, yeah, Steve is letting me stay here. I must have locked myself out.
ME: Huh? I just talked to him this am he did not mention anyone was here.
HIM: It was a week ago, maybe he forgot...
ME: Where are your keys?
HIM: He did not give me any, said it was unlocked.
ME: Where is he right now?
HIM: He is away for the holidays.
ME: Where?
HIM: He did not say.
ME: You are full of shit.
HIM: (caught off-guard by my change in demeanor). No, no he said it was OK.
ME: How about you leave now and never come back?
HIM: He said I could stay here.
ME: You are not staying here...
HIM: grumbles ... I need to get my stuff....
ME: No, you are either leaving right now or going to jail. Which is it?
HIM: No need to be an ass grumble... grumble. Walks off.
And he is gone. As best we can figure, this was another freeloader who came to the house looking for a handout, and found door unlocked and decided to just make himself at home. Car he drove away in was a true POS. Showed photo and car to Uncle, he did not recognize man.
I secured house, turned on some lights. Told neighbors nobody should be here but Steve or me. If anyone shows up, call cops. Looks like he is not coming back and Uncle is returning tomorrow.
Cool story bro and all that. No guns, no cops, no dogs shot. Boring story compared to the real ones people make up on the internet. Obviously uncle now knows to lock his doors and tell his neighbors when he is gone. Maybe a family member or two also.
Oh yeah, and the lotto money? He blew it all in < 5 years.
ETA:
yes there were other details that did not matter, I was armed, had a nephew and wife as hidden backup, etc. As you can read, my strategy was to "have no knowledge" this guy was there, and act dumb when he showed up. Did not want to RAID house, or appear to intentionally confront him. me in house with written permission to be there and him on porch, puts him in the defensive.
ETA2:
I am just shocked someone would just walk into someone's house and start living there. Good thing uncle did not decide to go to FL for winter or something.
To Be Continued.....
Said Uncle won the largest Texas Lotto at the time, about 10-15 years ago. There were three other winners, so he split it 4 ways. As a result, he is a "celebrity" at least among the scamsters and FSA types who to this day are begging him, offering him deals, etc. You name it.
I asked his sister who went to the house some basic info about who was living there and what was going on. Appeared to be a single male 60s who had car on driveway. Did not appear to be trashing house or stealing stuff, but was helping himself to whatever he found - TV, food, clothes, etc. No keys to house were missing, sister had a copy, and uncle gave her his copy to get in. Time for me to take action....
To Be Continued.....
So next day I head over to hospital, and get written permission from uncle to be caretaker of home (have "apparent authority to act for the owner") as well as get his keys. No problem with that. I go to his house there is the car on driveway. I stake it out and see someone coming and going. I decide to sit on it till he leaves, than go in and see what is going on for myself. three hours later, he finally leaves, and he is alone and appears to be 60s or so (gray hair, etc). I take pictures of him and his car of course.
I park on driveway and head in. Doors unlocked. Nobody else home. All windows and doors are unlocked, but none are forced. Keys match all doors so no locks changed. Search of house reveals nothing obviously removed. Kitchen has been used - fresh dirty dishes, near-empty refrigerator, etc. I lock doors and wait for him to come back.
To Be Continued.....
So after almost an hour, someone tries to come in front door (I locked it). I quickly answer door, and the guy is on porch.
ME: Can I help you?
HIM: He looks at me and realizes I am not uncle.
HIM: Uh, yeah, Steve is letting me stay here. I must have locked myself out.
ME: Huh? I just talked to him this am he did not mention anyone was here.
HIM: It was a week ago, maybe he forgot...
ME: Where are your keys?
HIM: He did not give me any, said it was unlocked.
ME: Where is he right now?
HIM: He is away for the holidays.
ME: Where?
HIM: He did not say.
ME: You are full of shit.
HIM: (caught off-guard by my change in demeanor). No, no he said it was OK.
ME: How about you leave now and never come back?
HIM: He said I could stay here.
ME: You are not staying here...
HIM: grumbles ... I need to get my stuff....
ME: No, you are either leaving right now or going to jail. Which is it?
HIM: No need to be an ass grumble... grumble. Walks off.
And he is gone. As best we can figure, this was another freeloader who came to the house looking for a handout, and found door unlocked and decided to just make himself at home. Car he drove away in was a true POS. Showed photo and car to Uncle, he did not recognize man.
I secured house, turned on some lights. Told neighbors nobody should be here but Steve or me. If anyone shows up, call cops. Looks like he is not coming back and Uncle is returning tomorrow.
Cool story bro and all that. No guns, no cops, no dogs shot. Boring story compared to the real ones people make up on the internet. Obviously uncle now knows to lock his doors and tell his neighbors when he is gone. Maybe a family member or two also.
Oh yeah, and the lotto money? He blew it all in < 5 years.
ETA:
yes there were other details that did not matter, I was armed, had a nephew and wife as hidden backup, etc. As you can read, my strategy was to "have no knowledge" this guy was there, and act dumb when he showed up. Did not want to RAID house, or appear to intentionally confront him. me in house with written permission to be there and him on porch, puts him in the defensive.
ETA2:
I am just shocked someone would just walk into someone's house and start living there. Good thing uncle did not decide to go to FL for winter or something.
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