US couple on vacation get security alert, find stranger had moved into their home

A US couple found a stranger inside their apartment after their security camera alerted them at 11pm while they were on vacation. The incident triggered a burglary probe and fresh questions over building security.US couple on vacation get security alert, find stranger had moved into their home (Photo: Representational Image from Pexels)A US couple’s vacation took a bizarre turn after their security camera alerted them to a stranger sitting inside their apartment, with the couple later learning that she had been given access to their home after posing as a dog walker.The incident took place on July 24 at a luxury apartment building in Long Island City, New York, while Bill and Yelim Kim were away on vacation. According to a report by Fox 5 NY, the couple had no idea anyone was inside their apartment until their security camera sent them an alert.When they checked the footage, they were shocked to see an unfamiliar woman inside their home. She appeared to have made herself comfortable on their couch, leaving the couple wondering how she had managed to get past the building’s security in the first place.Bill Kim told Fox 5 NY that he was initially in disbelief when he saw the footage. He said the couple could not help wondering what might have happened if they had not received the camera alert, particularly because the incident occurred close to 11 pm. The couple later learnt that the woman had told building staff that she was a dog walker. According to emails from the building’s management obtained by Fox 5 NY, a concierge employee handed her the apartment keys without properly verifying her identity.That explanation only raised more questions for the Kims, who said they had never authorised a dog walker to enter their apartment while they were away. Yelim Kim told Fox 5 NY that they had never had a dog walker come to their home when they were not there, while Bill said they had never authorised any guest to enter the apartment. Surveillance footage also showed the woman inside the apartment. The couple mentioned that she damaged a bookshelf while trying to remove their security camera after discovering it.Watch the video here:Police later responded to the apartment shortly before 11 pm following a report that someone had entered the home without permission.The couple also said the same woman returned to the building two days later, but was not allowed beyond the lobby.For Yelim, the experience left her deeply shaken. Speaking to Fox 5 NY, she described herself as “freaking traumatised” by what had happened, particularly because a stranger had been inside their home while they were away.While the investigation continued, the case left the Queens couple with a troubling question: how easily could a stranger gain access to their home simply by claiming to be someone they were not?- EndsPublished By: Yashna TalwarPublished On: Aug 12, 2026 14:20 IST