‘What’s the rent?’: Stranger discovered living in Oregon crawl space, and the internet wants to move in

A bizarre discovery inside a quiet condominium complex in unincorporated Clackamas County Oregon, near Happy Valley, about 10 miles southeast of Portland, has left residents rattled and the internet cracking jokes.

In a social media update, deputies with the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office say they found a man secretly living in a crawl space on September 3, 2025, complete with furniture, electronics, and a stolen power supply.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, the unusual call came in just before 11 p.m. A witness reported seeing a man, later identified as 40-year-old Beniamin Bucur, park his car and head toward the back of a building in the complex.

The witness noticed the door to the crawl space was open with a light shining inside before it suddenly closed. When deputies arrived, they saw that the crawl space door was damaged and locked, with an extension cord snaking out of a vent.

After speaking with the property owner, deputies learned no one was supposed to be in the space and that strange noises had been reported coming from below the home in recent weeks.

The owner provided keys to the crawl space, but they didn’t work. Deputies forced entry and uncovered what appeared to be a makeshift apartment.

Bed, lights, chargers, and TV

Inside, Bucur had set up a bed, lights, chargers, televisions, and other electronics, all connected to the home’s power supply. Deputies estimate he had been living there for an extended period of time.

In addition to the illegal setup, deputies also discovered a pipe with white residue that tested positive for methamphetamine.

Bucur was arrested and booked into the Clackamas County Jail on charges of Burglary in the First Degree and Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine. At a preliminary hearing Thursday, a judge set his bail at $75,000.

Social media turns the crawl space into a rental listing

While the discovery shocked residents, the Sheriff’s Office update on social media quickly took a lighter turn as commenters couldn’t resist poking fun at the unusual find. Many quipped that the crawl space sounded like prime real estate in today’s tough housing market.

“Now the homeowners gonna post this like room for rent $800/mo,” one commenter joked. Another added, “A wood burning fireplace and he could have sub leased it out for $3000 a month including all utilities LOL.”

Others jumped in with mock rental inquiries: “What’s the rent for the crawl space asking for a friend,” one user asked, while another offered, “have a crawl space FOR RENT $350 plus electric.”

All joking aside, officers reminded property owners to stay alert for unusual activity around their homes, including damaged access points, unexplained noises, and unexpected utility usage.

For now, Bucur remains in custody as the case moves forward in court, but his crawl space setup has already carved out a strange spot in Oregon’s list of unusual criminal cases, and in the internet’s sense of humor.