Woman scares off invaders as Pleasanton police investigate series of home break-ins
Woman scares off invaders as Pleasanton police investigate series of home break-ins
Authorities are investigating a series of home-break-ins Pleasanton that share some commonalities. Pleasanton police said since the beginning of this year, there have been 35 reports of residential break-ins. In one case, a woman scared off the invaders.
PLEASANTON, Calif. - Authorities are investigating a series of home-break-ins Pleasanton that share some commonalities.
Pleasanton police said since the beginning of this year, there have been 35 reports of residential break-ins.
Officers said the suspects broke in through the back of the house to steal jewelry and purses.
Fortunately, no one was injured in any of the incidents police said.
One victim told KTVU she was at home at about 9:20 p.m. Oct. 3 when she heard "a huge bang, louder than you can imagine."
It turned out her rear sliding glass door had been smashed.
"Then I heard footsteps up the stairs. I think they maybe had one more footstep left, and I kind of froze in my bedroom," said the woman, who didn't want to be identified.
But she decided to take action.
SEE ALSO: San Francisco's Richmond District sees string of restaurant break-ins
"I just screamed and screamed and screamed and I said, ‘Get out of my house!’ and they ran and were out, same way they came in."
She looked out her window and saw them drive off. She then went outside and called for help. Surveillance video captured her screams as a neighbor ran to help.
"It's terrifying," she said. "I don't want it to ever happen to anybody. I felt sort of unprotected and not knowing what to do."
She thinks her home near Foothill Road and West Las Positas Boulevard was picked because she had just turned off her exterior lights. Her car was in the garage.
She said, "I just knew I had to protect myself at that moment, because it was either me or them."
She says she wants to get the word out to warn others.
"If it can happen here, it can happen anywhere, and it's important to be ready and not have false security."
It happened five minutes after the same men apparently tried to break into an unoccupied home down the street.
Another incident was caught on home surveillance video and the home's security system activated, causing the would-be burglars to flee.
Authorities said they are still trying to find the suspects tied to the crimes and are asking residents to stay vigilant.