WASHINGTON — A father, mother, their three children and a pet dog moved into a $1 million custom-built home in Bethesda, Maryland but it didn’t belong to them, a grand jury determined.
James Crombie, 48, of Kensington, is now facing criminal charges related to the alleged squatting incident at the vacant home along the 7600 block of Dwight Drive in Bethesda, ABC 7 reports.
Charging documents filed in Montgomery County District Court state the Crombie family was busy unpacking a moving truck stocked full of personal belongings on Aug. 30, 2014, when the home’s true owner pulled into the driveway. He confronted the family and then called police.
On Thursday, a Montgomery County grand jury indicted Crombie on seven criminal counts, including First-Degree Burglary, Felony Theft and Fraud.
The two-story house features a gourmet kitchen, marble bathrooms, custom closets and professional landscaping. Many rooms were badly damaged during the Crombie family’s stay. Court paperwork indicates the carpet was stained, door locks broken, ceiling dented and expensive furniture soiled. The resulting repairs and cleaning costs were over $1,000
