A junior at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro was beyond scared when she believed a ghost was in her off-campus apartment.
But it wasn’t a ghost — in fact, it was much worse.
The culprit?
A man hiding in her closet, who also liked to steal her clothes.
“I’ve been having pieces of clothes [go] missing. Like shirts and pants,” Maddie shared with Fox 8.
Both she as well as her roommate had also noticed hand prints on the bathroom mirror and wall.
And on Saturday, they discovered a horrifying truth.
“I just hear rattling in my closet. It sounded like a raccoon in my closet,” Maddie told the outlet. “I’m like, who’s there? And somebody answers me. He’s like, ‘Oh, my name is Drew.’ I open the door and he’s in there, wearing all of my clothes. My socks. My shoes. And he has a book bag full of my clothes.”
Maddie called her boyfriend – then waiting for help by talking to the man who identified as 30-year-old Andrew Swofford in an attempt to distract him.
“He tries on my hat. He goes in the bathroom and looks in the mirror and then is like, ‘You’re really pretty. Can I give you a hug?’” Maddie said. “But he never touched me.”
The women are not sure how the man entered the residence as they keep their doors locked and did not notice any damage.
But this was not the first time the two women found men inside their home.
On December 19, 2018, two men were discovered inside their living room.
It was then they contacted the leasing office at the Summit at the Edge Apartments.
An employee confirmed to Fox 8 that they changed the locks of the apartment but a police report was never filed.
Burkley Communities, the property management company, is currently investigating the details to find out how this happened.
The roommates are however, planning on leaving their apartment after the incident.
“Last night I did not feel safe [so] I slept with my roommate in her bed,” Maddie said. “I can’t stay here. My closet, it stinks. Every time I go in [my room], there’s a bad vibe. I’m just ready to leave.”
Swofford was jailed under a $26,000 bond in Guilford County.
He currently faces 14 felony charges — including larceny and identify theft.
According to Safety.com, if you ever come in contact with a home intruder — they recommend the following:
First stay calm. In any emergency, the best first step is to keep a clear head so you can make the smart choices.
The second tip is to get to a safe space — that way if an intruder blocks your path to one, you can still go to the other. Also, if there are other people in your home like children or roommates, do your best to stay together.
You should also have an alternate escape route like a window.
The next course of action to take once you and everyone else is in the safe space, call the police.
And remember whatever you do under any circumstance confront your home intruder. Unless you are trained in self-defense, you don’t know if they are armed with a gun, knife or any other dangerous weapon.
If necessary, arm yourself with any blunt object like a baseball bat or even a bottle. If the home intruder approaches or attacks you, throw the objects at his/her eyes and face.
You can also swing for the knees or shins — Safety.com recommends doing whatever you need to keep yourself and your family safe from harm.
NOW WATCH: Sweden Actually Turns It’s Garbage Into Energy | Save The World