Oct 9, 2008 5:08 pm US/Pacific
String Of Local 'Hot Prowl Burglaries' Plague Area
YUBA CITY (CBS13) ―
A burglar is on the prowl after breaking into three homes in one community overnight in Yuba City. Police say it was an easy crime to commit because the homeowners left their doors or windows unlocked.
"When I sensed somebody in the house I sat up in bed and he was right there," explained Audrey Young, a victim of one of the burglaries.
Fear filled Audrey Young as she woke to find a burglar just feet away from her bed.
"You think they're in my house, but not in my bedroom, it doesn't click right away," says Audrey.
It clicked once she realized the prowler made his way through every room in her home, even her bathroom where she kept her four decade old wedding ring. He stole that along with other valuables.
"I yelled for Fred, woke him up, he grabbed his pistol and followed him out of the garage," explained Audrey.
The burglar then took off, but police say he may be the same intruder behind what they call "hot prowl burglaries." And the scariest part for neighbors: police say in the latest crime the suspect fondled a little boy.
"The following morning, the child woke up and things just weren't right," says Deputy Chief Jeff Webster, Yuba City Police Department.
Cops say in some cases the prowler got inside the homes through unlocked doors and garages.
That's how the intruder made it inside the Young's house. Since the robbery, the Young's have stepped up the security and hopes neighbors will follow suit.
"The lights are one and every door has three locks on it now, very secure double check every night," says Fred Young.
Police say other similar burglaries happened earlier in the week. Authorities are now checking for clues to see if the crimes are connected. They do say that it's likely that one man is responsible for the last string, are police are following leads in hopes of catching the suspect.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Reporting
Comments