Homeless Man Arrested for Squating in Lavonia House

A homeless man decided to make himself at home in Lavonia – in someone else’s home.

According to a Lavonia Police incident report, just after 6p Monday evening, officers responded to a report of a man breaking into an unoccupied home on the Hartwell Road near Peachtree St.

When officers arrived a neighbor reported seeing a white male break into the bottom of the residence and she took a photo.

Officers walked around to the back of the house where they found a door opened and a bicycle.

They also found a man inside and asked him to come out.

The suspect, identified as Thomas McKern, said someone named “Dave” said he could stay there.

Officers placed a call to the owner of the home, whose name was not Dave, and who told them no one was supposed to be inside the home.

Also in the house, officers found suspected marijuana, two glass pipes suspected to be used for meth, along with clothing, binoculars, and food.

McKern was arrested without incident and charged with criminal trespass and drug possession.

He was taken to the Franklin County Detention Center.