DA Declines to File Burglary Charge on Male Intruder Suspect

The man who is believed to have awakened a woman in her bedroom around 4 a.m. on St. Patrick's Day will not face a burglary charge in the incident.

Because the woman could not identify the suspect or evidence to prove that he was in the house, the District Attorney declined to file a burglary charge, said Detective Sgt. Paul Ford of the Manhattan Beach Police Department Monday.

Ford told Patch MBPD continues to investigate the incident and is "trying to get at bare minimum a prowling charge." The prowling charge would stem from where the suspect was found hiding nearby.

"It was a quick encounter," said Ford, noting that the woman saw the man from a distance in the dark but that "she knew there was a person in the house other than her husband." Her husband was in the bedroom of the home in the 1600 block of Ninth St. and awakened to her screams, he said. The intruder is believed to have entered the home through an unlocked door.

A 52-year-old truck driver was arrested in the 1800 block of Ninth St. after running when he saw a patrol car as MBPD responded to the call. A police K9 alerted officers to his hiding location in a backyard. Police had set up a perimeter and brought in two K9 units to conduct a search for the suspect. 

The man has been released from jail.

• Previously: Woman Awakens to Male Intruder in Her Bedroom