An alert housekeeper scared off two burglars who were just about to break into the home she was cleaning and now Palo Alto police are looking for the pair.
Det. Sgt. Brian Philip released a sketch of one of the suspects, whom she though was a teenager and wearing a red hoodie with short black hair. She didn't get a good look at the second suspect, whom she said also was probably was in his late teens and was wearing a blue sweatshirt.
As she told police, she was cleaning a home in the 1900 block of Tasso Street on Wednesday about 10 a.m. when she heard the doorbell ring twice. She went to look. But no one was there. She was also at the home were her adult daughter and a teenager who lived at the home.
The housekeeper, who is in her 50s, looked outside and saw two men in the backyard, trying to force open the rear door to get inside, police said.
She yelled at them.
And they ran away on foot.
She met with a sketch artist to describe the suspects.
Palo Alto police say it's best to answer the door by announcing your presence, rather than opening the door, if you don't know who is there. That way, burglars know that someone is home.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call our 24-hour dispatch center at 650-329-2413. Anonymous tips can be e-mailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent via text message or voice mail to 650-383-8984. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through our free mobile app, downloadable at bit.ly/PAPD-AppStore or bit.ly/PAPD-GooglePlay.
