Armed PHROGGER Attack in Almont, Michigan: Check Your Crawlspace

In 2019, Sherry Lovell and her three grandchildren called Almont, Michigan home. At the time Lovell was playing the role of guardian to the lively bunch and was doing what she could to create a tight family bond. Everything was going well until strange events began to occur in February of 2019.

Related: What is 'Phrogging' in Michigan and Why You Need to Know

Lovell, while driving home from a long day at work, was looking forward to a canned vodka cocktail she had sitting at home in her refrigerator but, when she went to find it, it was gone. Assuming she had already drunk the beverage and didn't remember having done it, she moved on.

Real Life PHROGGER in Almont, Michigan Crawlspace

The signs didn't end with the vodka cocktail. Other items began to disappear, boxes of cereal, fully prepared meals, and even a brand-new can of air freshener. Lovell confronted her grandkids about the missing things but, they always denied they had anything to do with it.

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Lovell, using the logic that "kids will kids", continued thinking her grandchildren had taken the things and didn't want to get in trouble. That all changed on February 20, 2019, when the thief finally appeared.

While standing in her bedroom changing, she felt something cold press up against the back of her neck. Whirling around to see what it was she was now looking down the barrel of a gun and on the other end of the sight, was her ex-husband.

Related: FBI Warning: Predators Targeting Michigan Teen Boys Online

Lovell's ex forced her, on her hands and knees, into the home's crawlspace, where she could see all of the missing items, including the can of air freshener he'd been using to cover the odor of a grown man living in a confined space for several weeks. Eventually, Lovell's ex demanded that she transfer all of her money into his account.

Lovell now found herself a passenger in her own truck, en route to a bank in Detroit, with her ex still holding her at gunpoint in the driver's seat, and the child locks engaged. An opportunity for escape would soon present itself though.

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Her ex had stopped at a gas station and he had left her in the truck alone, only for a moment. Noticing the keys were still in the ignition, Lovell slid over, narrowly avoiding her ex getting back in the truck, and drove to her best friend's home where she called the police. Her ex was apprehended and would eventually face 16 felony charges.

Checking Your Home Frequently, Especially Areas That Get Little Use

While movies and social media have glorified PHROGGING and the act of being a PHROG, the actual instances are few and far between. Not infrequent enough that PHROGGING hasn't received its own reality show on Lifetime: Phrogging: Hider in My House, which features Lovell's story.

Related: Michigan Bed Bugs: 4 Cities Crawling On the US 50 Most Infested

When was the last time you checked the areas of your home that get the least traffic? Your attic? Sheds? Crawlspace?