SAN DIEGO (CNS) - A parolee who allegedly burglarized a South Bay home, unaware that a teenage resident was hiding under her bed and text-messaging for help, was behind bars Wednesday.
The 13-year-old girl was alone in her family's Chula Vista residence shortly before 10:30 a.m. Tuesday when she heard an unusual noise coming from the direction of her parents' room, according to police.
The teen walked into a hallway, from which she saw a man removing a window in the bedroom, Capt. Gary Wedge said.
The girl then ran into her own room, crawled under her bed and sent a text message to her mother, telling her to call police because someone was breaking into their home.
Over the next several minutes, the teen heard the man walking throughout the residence and watched as he entered her room and rummaged through her dresser, Wedge said.
After hearing the intruder leave the house, the girl called 911 and gave dispatchers a rundown of the burglar's appearance. A short time later, patrol officers detained a man matching that description in the area.
The suspect, identified as 52-year-old Maurice Charles Faulkner of Chula Vista, allegedly had items from the girl's home in his possession when police stopped him.
Faulkner was arrested on suspicion of burglary and violating parole. He was booked into county jail in downtown San Diego and was being held without bail pending arraignment, scheduled for Thursday afternoon.
