A squatter who tried to sell a couple’s home for nearly a quarter of a million dollars four months ago has been caught breaking into the same house again. Joseph Guerin from Lousiana was caught breaking into the ranch-style property in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, earlier this week after owners Richard Craven and his wife Kristen were alerted by neighbours. It is the second time Guerin has been found on the property, and the police aren’t willing to help.
Richard and Kristen inherited the four-bedroom, 3,200-square-foot home back in 2022 following the death of Kristen’s parents. Intending to remodel and sell the home, they paid a visit in April this year to find Guerin had not only broken into the four-bedroom home but placed all the utilities under his name and even changed the locks. Taking squatters’ rights to a whole new level, Guerin had also listed the house for sale online for £181,000 ($225,000).
Upon first discovering the unwanted guests, instead of calling the police straight away, the Cravens kept watch of their home, taking note of different people entering and exiting. Richard told WBRZ he suspected the house was being used for more than just sleeping. “Drug using, drug dealing, I don’t know if he was renting rooms out to females,” Richard Craven said.
When Richard did eventually report the problem to the police he was told it was a civil matter as both the Cravens and the squatters were able to provide documents that ‘proved’ they were the rightful.