Local News

A man arrived home from vacation to find someone had been living in his home.

Dispatch was notified by the man that he had been gone for a week, and it was possible squatters had been living in his home during that time. The residence in the 17000 block of Water Gap Road was for sale, and the caller said it looked like someone had broken in.

A deputy with the Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrived and was given permission by the homeowner to enter the residence and a camper on the property. The door was shut, and the deputy made announcements before entering the home. Nobody was found inside, and while the house was messy, there were no signs of forced entry.

The camper was also cleared and found to be empty. Law enforcement spoke with the man, who stated he believed someone broke into his home. While he had no proof of the residence being entered unlawfully, he wanted to make a report so there would be a paper trail.

The deputy then took the man, identified as Tucker Baskin, into custody. Prior to arriving at the scene, the deputy was informed the homeowner had probable cause for charges of First Degree Burglary and Second Degree Unlawful Use of Mace.

Baskin was taken into custody, transported, and then lodged in jail for his charges.