Columbus, OH – A routine call about a stray dog led Columbus police to a far stranger discovery last week: a man secretly living inside a vacant apartment.

Around 6:41 p.m. on Sept. 23, officers were dispatched to the 600 block of Kingsford Road after a maintenance worker reported finding a dog inside what was supposed to be an empty unit. When police arrived, they secured the animal and quickly realized the apartment’s first-floor windows had been left open.

Key Points • Officers responded to a call about a dog found inside a vacant apartment. • Witnesses said a man had been secretly living there for weeks. • James Watts was arrested and charged with burglary.

Dog leads officers to trespasser

As officers investigated, they were approached by James Watts, who claimed the dog was

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