A masked intruder has Pleasanton on edge after a string of residential break-ins turned violent, leaving a teenager pepper-sprayed and a local couple injured inside their own home, according to police.
Investigators say the trouble started last Friday on Hansen Drive, when someone entered a house and pepper-sprayed a teen before taking off. Later that night on Mohr Avenue, a masked intruder reportedly displayed a handgun and struck a homeowner and his wife. Officers swarmed the neighborhood, using drones and a police K-9 to search nearby yards and fences, but the suspect slipped away and has not been found.
According to CBS San Francisco, police say the break-ins began late last month. Security video from a Hansen Drive home shows a male suspect in a dark hoodie, jeans and white shoes. Investigators believe the Hansen Drive attack and at least one other report in the area are connected.
Couple Ambushed Inside Mohr Avenue Home, Police Say
As reported by KTVU, the Mohr Avenue burglary unfolded around 8 PM when a resident walked into his backyard and surprised a suspect. The intruder then forced the man back into his house, where the suspect allegedly struck both the homeowner and his wife before fleeing by jumping over nearby fences. Police say the handgun was never fired during the encounter.
Who Police Are Trying To Track Down
Pleasanton police describe the suspect as a light-skinned Black male, about 5 feet 8 inches tall, wearing dark clothing and a mask, according to CBS San Francisco. Anyone who recognizes the person seen in the security images, or who noticed suspicious activity near Hansen Drive or Mohr Avenue around the end of February, is asked to contact the department.
How Neighbors Can Help
Police are urging anyone with information to call the Pleasanton Police Department at (925) 931-5100, per Patch. Residents worried about burglaries can also look over prevention tips on the Pleasanton Police Department’s crime prevention page…