‘The roommate the family never knew they had’: Man with sword, meth pipe lived in family’s crawlspace for months

OREGON CITY, Ore. (TCN) -- A 41-year-old man has been convicted of burglary and sentenced to three years in prison for constructing a living space under a family’s home, where he spent nearly three months without them knowing.

According to a press release from Clackamas County, Beniamin Bucur turned a home’s crawlspace into a living area for himself. It contained a kitchen, a gaming area, and string lights, and he filled it with his own belongings, including multiple televisions, gaming consoles, and cooking equipment. Power cords were connected to the home’s electric service, and the occupants, a married couple with a young daughter, paid for it unknowingly. 

On Sept. 3, 2025, a neighbor called the police when they saw an intruder enter the crawlspace. Responding officers used a tool to force entry into the crawlspace, where they located and arrested Bucur, according to the press release.

During their investigation, authorities also found knives, a sword, and a pipe that contained methamphetamine residue. Bucur has a lengthy criminal history dating back 20 years, including convictions for burglary and theft.

According to Deputy District Attorney Tiffany Escover, “For 2 ½ months, Beniamin Bucur was the roommate the family never knew they had.” 

Bucur was sentenced to 36 months in jail on May 27 after being convicted of first-degree burglary. KPTV reports that before his trial, he also pleaded guilty to methamphetamine possession. 

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