Shortly after 5am Tuesday, a homeowner in the 1200 block of Robinson Road was awakened by a man burglarizing his home. Police believe he may have gotten in through an unlocked door.
Neighbor Mark Barrett said, "We've never had any problem, never had to worry about locking the doors. It's one of those neighborhoods where you can leave it unlocked."
The homeowner quickly chased the suspect out of the home.
Sgt. John Krueger with the La Porte Police Department said, "The suspect managed to get outside and attempted to get away on a bicycle. However, the homeowner was able to knock the suspect off the bicycle and a brief struggle ensued between the pair."
Police say the pair briefly struggled outside, but the suspect was able to get free and run away on foot. The intruder got away on foot, but left a bag of intended loot behind.
There was more, though. In the home at the time were the homeowner, his wife, sister-in-law and four children under the age of 10. Police say the man had been inside one of the children's bedrooms and had briefly picked a child up.
The intruder got away on foot, but left a bag of intended loot behind. There was more, though. Police say the man had been inside one of the children's bedrooms and had briefly picked a child up.
"It was clear that the child had been moved, but whether there was an attempted crime beyond that theft-related burglary, at this time we just don't know," said Sgt. Krueger.
The same suspect is believed to have been confronted by another homeowner in the neighborhood earlier in the evening. Based on what police were told, the man may be from El Salvador and claimed to have family in Pasadena. La Porte police are actively seeking the suspect at this time and are asking for assistance from the community.
The suspect is described as an adult Hispanic male of unknown age, between 5 foot 6 inches and 6 feet tall, wearing a white sweatshirt or sweater, and black pants with white markings. The suspect's hair is believed to be close-cut, dark brown to black in color, with a modified hairline along the forehead area. Police say he spoke Spanish.
While the suspect's identity and location are still unknown, police say a person matching the suspect's description was spotted riding a bicycle along State Highway 225 at Deer Park's Center Street a few hours prior to the burglary incident. Area residents are asked to be on the lookout for any suspicious suspects or activity.
If anyone has information about the crime or the suspect, they're asked to contact the La Porte Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at 281-842-3173.
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