phrogging

This is the practice of living in someone’s house without their knowledge.  Usually it involves finding a hidey-hole — in the roof, under the floorboards, in the attic or basement, etc.  — and emerging when the residents of the house are out.  A notable case in America was that of Daniel LaPlante who lived in a house for several weeks, terrorising the occupants by deliberately leaving signs of his presence.

There was a case in Rockhampton in Queensland in 2021 where the phrogger was caught out. The mother of three who lived there had conveniently kept a whiteboard with all the families activities timetabled, but on this occasion she came home early to find a half-eaten plate of chicken nuggets in the kitchen. The police were called and found a manhole slightly ajar and the phrogger lurking in the roof.

It is thought that phrogging (pronounced /frogging/) comes from the blend of person and frog, the f of frog being changed to ph in the way that happens with phishing.