Campus police arrested 50-year-old Frank Besig last week after officers discovered the local transient squatting in a South Hall cubicle.

On March 25, UCSB Police Department officers responded to a report of an adult male who had inhabited a cubicle over the course of Spring Break. When officers arrived on the scene they found Besig nesting in an 8 x 8 foot locked cubicle inside room 4431 of the Graduate Tower.

Since Besig is not a UCSB student, staff or faculty member and has no lawful business on campus, he was arrested on the spot and his belongings, including numerous books and foodstuffs, were removed. The incident marked the third time in three consecutive years Besig has been charged with entering and occupying the cubicle.

According to UCSB Police Dept. Sgt. Matt Bowman, at the time of his arrest, Besig – who was found barefoot and wearing dirty clothing – informed officers that he was homeless and had nowhere else to go.

“He had just been released from jail on the same charge of trespassing and was homeless again,” Bowman said. “He was back on campus because he had nowhere else to live. The university is very accommodating but unfortunately they are not able to provide housing for everyone.”

Although Besig has a history of utilizing campus cubicles as a permanent dwelling space, Bowman said his recent actions included an additional criminal element.

“When campus police unlocked the cubicle and found Besig they also recovered a stolen set of UCSB master keys on him, which he had at some point stolen to gain access to the building.”

Besig was consequently charged with CA Penal Code Section 469 – unauthorized possession of a key to a public building, in addition to trespassing.

Individuals who spot Besig, a 5-foot-11-inch, 145 pound Caucasian male, inhabiting university property are strongly encouraged to contact campus police at (805) 893-3446.