The quiet of a Sausalito neighborhood was shattered last Friday when a family returned home to an unexpected and frightening scene. A Sausalito mother and her two children were greeted by a male intruder in their residence, a man who'd made himself at home in the most personal of spaces – the master bedroom. The suspect, who identified himself as "Daniel," prompted the family to run for safety and alert the authorities.
Responding swiftly, Sausalito police officers swarmed the Bulkley Avenue home, arriving just minutes later at 5:09 pm. But the burglar had already vanished into the evening. The description from the shaken mother: a black male around six feet tall, medium build, dressed in dark clothes and a beanie. This detail sparked an immediate area search.
It wasn't long before a parking enforcement officer spied someone matching the suspect's description wandering down Second Street. A patrol officer cornered the man on the 100 block of South Street, and following the victim's identification, Daniel Lewis Clark, a 34-year-old from Oakland, was slapped in cuffs.
Police found more than just a passing prowler; Clark was carrying stolen mail, checks, and credit cards, including a dirk/dagger, and burglary tools. Earlier that day, the authorities had been called for an attempted break-in on South Street, where Clark was also pinpointed as the culprit by photographs taken by an alert neighbor.
Not just one but two charges came down on Clark - for the attempted burglary earlier that day and the home invasion on Bulkley Avenue. The Sausalito police are investigating whether Clark is responsible for a string of recent trespasses in the area. Meanwhile, Clark's bail is set at $50,000 as he awaits his time in court, charged with burglary, possession of a dagger, and identity theft/fraud, per the City of Sausalito.
Those with any information are urged to contact Lieutenant Brian Mather at Sausalito Police.
