She walked in to the smell of old ham - and something fishy

A Hilton Head Island homeowner noticed a pretty bad smell when she walked into the home she owns in Wexford Plantation on March 2.

The victim noticed a back door to the home was open, salsa was left out on the counter and a “large ham” was going bad in her refrigerator, according to a Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office report. She told deputies she recently decided to move back into the home, which she’s owned for about 10 years.

She was last in the home in December and nothing was out of the ordinary, according to the report made on Saturday.

The woman suspects squatters have been staying in her home, according to the report. Her washer and dryer were both broken and several items were stolen, including a pearl necklace, a loose diamond and a painting, according to the report. The damaged and stolen items’ total value is approximately $5,000.

Deputies did not find any signs of forced entry to the home or “observe any signs of ‘squatters’ in the residence,” according to the report.

This story was originally published March 12, 2017 at 7:03 PM with the headline "She walked in to the smell of old ham - and something fishy."