It’s the stuff of nightmares. You're lying in bed, the house is quiet, and you hear a rhythmic thudding or a muffled scrape coming from the drywall. Most of us just blame the plumbing. We tell ourselves it’s "house settling" or maybe a particularly athletic squirrel in the attic. But for a surprising number of people, the reality is much weirder—and way more invasive. The phenomenon of people in the walls, or "phrogging," is a very real, documented occurrence that sits at the intersection of home security failures and a bizarre subculture of trespassing.
The reality of phrogging
Phrogging isn't a ghost story. The term comes from the idea of people "leaping" from house to house, much like a frog. Unlike a traditional burglar who wants to take your TV and run, a phrogger wants to live alongside you without you ever knowing they are there. They eat your food, use your Wi-Fi, and sleep in your crawlspaces while you're at work or sound asleep.
It sounds impossible. How could someone live in your home for weeks or months without detection?
Honestly, modern suburban architecture is kind of to blame. We build houses with massive "void spaces"—the gaps between the studs, the cathedral ceilings, the expansive crawlspaces, and the interconnected HVAC ductwork. These areas are often accessible through small attic hatches or basement utility panels that homeowners haven't looked at since they moved in. In 2022, a woman in Washington state discovered a man had been living in her crawlspace for months; he had even installed a lightbulb and was using her power.
Why people hide in the walls
Motivation matters. It’s rarely about a "home invasion" in the violent sense you see in movies. Often, it's driven by homelessness, severe mental health crises, or a thrill-seeking compulsion.
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Take the case of Daniel LaPlante. In the late 1980s, he terrorized a family by living inside their wall cavities. He didn't just hide; he actively manipulated their environment, moving objects and leaving cryptic messages. This is the extreme, "true crime" end of the spectrum. Most cases are much more mundane, involving someone looking for a warm place to sleep who realizes they can go unnoticed if they’re quiet enough.
The psychology of the uninvited guest
Psychologically, there's a power dynamic at play. Some individuals who have been caught living in walls describe a sense of "belonging" to a family they aren't part of. They watch the kids grow up, listen to dinner conversations, and essentially become a silent, invisible member of the household. It’s a deep, albeit terrifying, violation of the "sanctum" of the home.
Spotting the signs before it’s too late
You shouldn't be paranoid, but you should be observant. Houses make noise, sure. But houses don't usually eat your leftovers or leave the bathroom door at a slightly different angle than you left it.
If you’re worried about the possibility of people in the walls, look for these specific indicators:
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- Utility spikes. A sudden, unexplained jump in your water or electricity bill can indicate someone is using your shower or heater while you’re out.
- The "Scuff" factor. Look at your attic hatch or crawlspace door. Is there fresh dust on the floor? Are there scuff marks on the trim that weren't there before?
- Missing items. It's never the big stuff. It’s a single granola bar from a bulk pack. It’s a half-inch of milk. It’s the spare key that "lost itself" three months ago.
- Odor. Humans are smelly. If a crawlspace or wall cavity has a person in it, there will eventually be a scent of stale sweat or unwashed clothes that doesn't smell like animal urine or rot.
The 2023 Pittsburgh "Wall Man" case and others
In 2023, a story went viral about a man in Pittsburgh who was found hiding behind a false wall in a bedroom. The homeowner had noticed weird sounds for days. When the police finally broke through the paneling, they found a small living space set up. This isn't just an American thing, either. In Japan, a woman was famously found living in the top compartment of a man's closet for a full year. She had managed to stay hidden by moving only when he was out or asleep, even taking showers while he was at work.
These stories go viral because they tap into a primal fear. Our homes are supposed to be the one place where we are truly alone and safe. The idea of people in the walls shatters that illusion.
What you can do right now
If you actually hear a voice or see a person, get out. Don't pull a movie-protagonist move and go investigating with a flashlight. Call the police from your driveway.
But if you’re just looking to secure your home against the possibility, there are practical steps.
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- Secure all entry points. This means the obvious ones like doors, but also the ones we forget. Bolt your crawlspace covers from the inside if possible, or use a sensor.
- Audit your attic. If you have an attic hatch in a closet, put a small piece of clear tape across the seam. If it’s broken, someone has opened that hatch.
- Smart home tech. Modern cameras are cheap. A simple $30 camera pointed at your kitchen or the hallway leading to the attic can provide peace of mind.
- Listen to your pets. Dogs and cats have much better hearing than we do. If your dog is growling at a specific spot on a wall or a ceiling for no apparent reason, pay attention. They aren't seeing ghosts; they're likely hearing movement.
Myths vs. Reality
We need to clear some stuff up. Most "people in the walls" stories on TikTok are fake. They're staged for views because the "creepy" factor is high. However, the documented police reports tell a different story. These incidents usually happen in older homes with complex layouts or in apartment buildings where crawlspaces are shared between units.
In some older apartment complexes, a person can technically move from one unit to another through the "plenum" space—the area used for air circulation. It’s rare, but it’s a structural vulnerability that property managers are becoming more aware of.
Actionable steps for home security
Basically, stop treating your attic and basement like "dead space." Treat them as part of your living environment.
- Check your insulation. If you go into your attic and see "troughs" or flattened areas in the blown-in insulation, that’s a sign of foot traffic.
- Lighting. Install motion-activated lights in your crawlspace or basement. If you see light bleeding through the floorboards at night, you know something is up.
- Lock the "forgotten" doors. Many people lock their front door but leave the garage-to-house door or the basement bulkhead unlocked. These are the primary entry points for phroggers.
- Inventory check. Every few months, do a quick "sweep" of your utility areas. Make sure there are no sleeping bags, trash, or food wrappers in places they shouldn't be.
The phenomenon of people in the walls is a reminder that privacy is a fragile thing. While it’s statistically unlikely to happen to you, being aware of your home’s "anatomy" is the best defense. Check your hatches, monitor your "weird" noises, and never ignore the feeling that something in your house has shifted when you weren't looking.
Next Steps for Homeowners:
Check every attic access point and crawlspace door in your home tonight. If they don't have a latch or a lock, install a simple slide bolt. This simple five-minute task effectively eliminates the easiest way for an intruder to move from the structural voids of your house into your living space. Additionally, consider installing a contact sensor on your attic hatch that alerts your phone whenever it is opened; this provides a digital paper trail of every time that space is accessed, ensuring no one is moving around while you're away.