Photo: Courtesy of City of Palo Alto
Police in Palo Alto are investigating a case from Sunday night where a resident interrupted a man prowling in the basement of his home. The unknown suspect fled the scene and is currently at large.
On Sunday, April 2, 2023, at approximately 11:46 pm, the Palo Alto 24-hour dispatch center received a call from a resident in the 800 block of University Avenue, reporting a suspicious circumstance. The victim, a man in his eighties, reported that a man had just run out of his basement, which had an exterior entrance at the rear of his house that had been left unlocked. Police responded immediately but did not locate the suspect.
According to the investigation, the victim and his wife were at home when the victim heard noises coming from their basement. He went to investigate, believing that an animal may have gotten inside. Upon checking the basement, he did not find anything out of the ordinary, but as he went to lock the exterior door, a male suspect ran up the stairs from inside the basement and fled eastbound on University Avenue. The victim immediately called the police, and no property was reported missing from the basement.
The victim described the suspect as a Hispanic male between 25 and 30 years old, with a medium build and standing approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall. He had short black hair, a mustache, and possibly a beard. The suspect was wearing all-black clothing.
The authorities are urging anyone with information about the incident to come forward and assist in the investigation. Anyone who may have seen someone fitting the description or acting suspiciously in the area on Sunday night is asked to call the Palo Alto 24-hour dispatch center at (650) 329-2413. Anonymous tips can also be submitted via email to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent via text message or voicemail to (650) 383-8984.
