A Palo Alto woman had the scare of her life Friday evening when three burglars broke into the home she was housesitting. The suspects, currently unknown and on the loose, infiltrated an occupied residence on the 700 block of Center Drive around 7:30 p.m., according to Palo Alto Police Department News Release.
The victim, a woman in her forties, reported the break-in to police after hearing backyard noises, followed by voices and the sound of shattering glass. She encountered one of the intruders after they gained entry by breaking a sliding door glass, prompting her to lock herself in a bedroom and call the cops. The criminals were gone by the time officers arrived.
Police said surveillance footage showed three male suspects in dark clothing who arrived and fled in a dark-colored sedan. They had apparently forced open a side yard gate before breaking into the house. "Minimally, they had rummaged through a couple of rooms prior to fleeing," police stated, noting that it remains unclear whether the suspects stole anything.
Additional details from the woman's account describe one suspect as wearing dark clothing, a face mask, and a beanie. With the residential burglary happening during the evening, a less common time for such crimes, the police remind the public to secure gates, windows, and doors. They also advise caution when hiding spare keys outside and suggest leaving a spare with a trusted neighbor instead.
The Palo Alto police are actively investigating the incident and are asking for any information that could lead to an apprehension of the suspects. If you have any tips, you can reach out to the Palo Alto dispatch center at (650) 329-2413 or send anonymous hints to [email protected] or (650) 383-8984.
