Stranger moves in, redecorates while woman's on vacation

[Marie]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/10/22/stranger.in.house.ap/index.html

crazy

[Christy]

I heard the homeowner call Clark Howard last week, but had no idea she was in GA until it was all over the news.

[Formerbaboon]

Thats damn wierd..

[Christy]

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/3842135/detail.html

[Cissy]

That's freaky.

[Walter]

I'll be the next to say, "What!?" Haha.

20 years in prison seems a bit harsh...

[astro]

If she was easily able to break in using a shovel, it's sounds like the place probably could've used a bit of renovation :)

[Marie]

Or that the house had windows. :p

[rabid_child]

The Rabid Commentary:
This cracks me up.
I would so keep the washer drier!! Going to the laundramat is a pain!
Why would you keep $23,000 worth of jewelry in your house?
Why would you go on vacation for that long telling no one to check in on your house? Take in the mail? Water the plants? Even if you have no pets, you'd generally have a friend pop in periodically to make sure the house hadn't burned down!! Wouldn't you? I would. But I'm a lil nuts. (Albiet not so nuts as to take up residence in a strangers house while they're away)

[revelsunrise]

I think that the most interesting fact is that they have the same first name...Beverly...which doesn't seem to be all that common of a name. Makes you wonder if it wasn't random selection of the house.

[Christy]

From Clark Howard's site (http://clarkhoward.com/shownotes/2004/10/25.html):

Squatter story gets international attention
Every week Clark hears some very strange stories. But the story of Beverly Mitchell has truly captured America. About two weeks ago, she came back from a vacation to find a woman had moved into her home, redecorated and changed several accounts into her name. The woman went so far as to sell many of Mitchell’s possessions and change the utility bills into her name. She put up pictures of her family on Mitchell’s walls and then locked herself in the bathroom with Mitchell’s gun when Mitchell came home. The police arrived and arrested the woman on burglary charges, which she admitted to. But, she has refused to tell police where Mitchell’s possessions are or why she did it. Since Clark talked to Mitchell about 10 days ago, the story has appeared on CBS, ABC and NBC and in newspapers such as the L.A. Times and Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The intruder is in jail in metro Atlanta, and Mitchell is trying to get her possessions back. She has no clothing, other than a couple jackets. The woman took all of her appliances, dishes and electronics and replaced them with her own. We hope Mitchell gets some help recovering her possessions, and we’ll continue to follow this story and let you know what happens with Mitchell.

[Joe]

There is a rumor going around that there is already a movie script in the works based on this incident, and that "Basic Instinct" star Sharon Stone will play the part of intruder/squatter Beverly Valentine.

In a key scene, Stone sits while being interviewed by the police. She crosses her legs, takes a puff on her cigarette, slowly exhales, and says:

"What are you gonna arrest me for? Redecorating?"

[Marie]

VB needs a tomato throwing smilie.

:p Joe

[delicious]

I'll be the next to say, "What!?" Haha.

20 years in prison seems a bit harsh...

way harsh. She's obviously a little crazy. :(
and she wanted to pay for her own utilities :p

[Marie]

She won't get 20 years.. she could. She'll probably get a year or two in a mental institution.

[Alfiedog]

I wonder what happened to her dog . . .

[Tash]

I wonder what happened to her dog . . .
She had a dog-?.....Where in the heck is the dog-?..That would be the first thing I'd address with her, long before a cop got there. I have ways of making you talk when it's my dog..................... :whack:

[Christy]

I believe she said it was boarded at her vet.

[Tash]

Thank god........or whatever diety or fates you will allow...

[Christy]

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/1104/19house.html