By Mary O’KEEFE
A Glendale resident in the New York Avenue and Park Vista Drive area left her home early on March 14. She had turned off the lights and locked all doors and windows. She returned home about 7:30 p.m. As she drove into her driveway, she noticed that lights were on in the living room and windows were open. She also noticed an unfamiliar silver four-door Volvo parked in front of her home. She got out of her car and walked cautiously toward the home. Through the window, the resident saw a man walking into the living room from one of the home’s bedrooms. He looked out the living room window and they made eye contact.
The suspect immediately ran out of the house, via the front door and past the woman to the Volvo. He drove westbound on New York Avenue. The woman was chasing the car on foot when she found a Glendale police officer that was parked nearby in his patrol unit.
The Glendale officer saw the woman waving her hands and screaming for help. She pointed toward the Volvo. The officer immediately activated his emergency lights and drove toward the suspect’s vehicle. The man stopped his vehicle and the officer approached the car.
As the officer was directing him to exit the vehicle, the woman yelled that he had been inside her home.
More officers arrived to assist. The suspect was detained as other officers went to the woman’s residence on Park Vista Drive. Several rooms had been ransacked and the front living room window had been shattered. Several pieces of jewelry were missing.
Officers allegedly found jewelry in his pockets. The jewelry was identified as belonging to the woman.
It was discovered that the man was on active probation for burglary. He was arrested for burglary and released on $50,000 bail.
A probation hearing is scheduled on May 29.