A Portsmouth homeowner got a shock — and a hard lesson in the law — around 12:30 p.m. when he called 911 to report a man he knew breaking into his house and fleeing on foot down Endicott Avenue.
According to the caller, the situation wasn’t just a break-in. He told police he had discovered the man had been having an affair with his wife.
When Portsmouth officers arrived and sorted out what happened, the case took an unexpected turn.
Police determined there was no criminal offense — at least not one covered by Ohio law. Investigators found that the man inside the home had been invited in by a resident of the house, meaning no burglary, no trespassing, and no charges.
In short:
No crime… other than maybe a crime of the heart.
What many people don’t realize:
If someone who lives in your home invites another person inside — even without your knowledge or consent — it generally isn’t illegal, no matter how uncomfortable, upsetting, or infuriating the situation may be.
Awkward? Yes. Illegal? No.
Is this fair? Should one person in a shared home be able to invite someone inside without the other resident’s consent — especially when it blows up a marriage? Or is this one of those situations where the law simply can’t (and shouldn’t) step in?
Tell us what you think — and whether you were surprised to learn how this actually works.
