Nightmare for Oakland couple whose home overrun by strangers

Home hijacked through rental program

An Oakland couple who use a home sharing account spent two days cleaning up after their property was hijacked by strangers for drugs and sex. One of the trespassers even stole their car.

Oakland - An Oakland couple said Friday that they're still cleaning up and taking stock after their home was overrun by strangers who compromised a home-sharing account, allowing them to use drugs, have sex and even steal their car.

"These are trashy people that were here," said a resident who wished only to be identified as Eric, along with his wife, Jenny.

"They were using drugs. There was drug paraphernalia all over the house," Jenny said.

 "In every bathroom, there are needles," Eric said.

Home-rental account hijacked

What we know:

The couple said they're frustrated because their home in Oakland’s Leona Heights neighborhood was hijacked by strangers through the HomExchange rental platform.

This week, while on their 21st anniversary vacation in Lake Tahoe, they realized that strangers had taken over their home. 

Their doorbell camera showed many people showing up, over and over again.

"There were so many people coming and going," Jenny said. "There was about nine people who came and went." 

The trespassers made themselves at home, leaving dirty dishes in the sink and stayed for 36 hours until the couple's cleaner came by and saw what was happening.

The couple rushed home from Tahoe to clean — and to cry, upset they'd been taken advantage of by someone claiming they were a couple who needed their home at the last minute because they were visiting a sick relative at the hospital.

"We haven’t slept for two days," Eric said.

One interloper stole the couple's beloved Mini Cooper.

They also suspect the intruders brought women over to have sex.

"I mean, this is, these people are on the lowest level of the overall crime ring that came into our house," Jenny said.

One man even brought a dog and fed it with the couple's dog food.

"They brought a dog, and then they washed their dog in our tub, and they used like a brush, one of our brushes, and it’s full of dog hair," Jenny said.

His voice quavering, Eric said, "It’s hard work maintaining a home. We work hard, we’re teachers, we contribute to our community."

Jenny said, "I just get through it by being grateful and recognizing that we have a beautiful house, we have each other."

Response by company

What they're saying:

The couple says HomeExchange has promised to make them whole by paying for their expenses, including for a locksmith. The company did not respond to a request for comment on Friday.

"I just hope that they really take this as a wake-up call, and they do the right thing," Jenny said.

Oakland police are investigating this as a burglary, fraud and grand theft auto. 

Henry Lee is a KTVU crime reporter. E-mail Henry at Henry.Lee@fox.com and follow him on X @henrykleeKTVU and www.facebook.com/henrykleefan