A San Diego County homeowner talks about how his family was violated when a burglar not only stole from them but stopped for a cool drink. NBC 7’s Megan Tevrizian reports.
A brazen burglar took what he wanted from a San Diego home while people were swimming in the pool outside Sunday, even stopping to enjoy a glass of iced tea, the homeowner said.
Rick Nunez said he arrived at his East County home at around 3 p.m. Sunday to find the cupboards open in the kitchen. At first he didn't think much of it, because his friends were escaping the heat wave with a dip in his backyard pool.
Then he heard something in the back of the house.
“At the same time someone is in our house and jumps through the back window and my friend sees him from the pool and starts chasing him," Nunez said.
The burglar, who Nunez believes entered his Granite Hills Drive home through a garage door that didn't have a deadbolt lock, ran to a black Ford Taurus parked right in front of the house on a sidewalk and drove away, the homeowner said.
"As he was driving down, he had the nerve to wave and poke his face out and wave at my dad," friend Joseph Zizzo said.
San Diego County sheriff's deputies pulled over the driver of the car on N. Ivory Drive about 20 minutes later.
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The suspect, identified by officials as Jere Eugene Bunnell, Jr., was arrested and charged with burglary.
Deputies said they found a large amount of stolen items in the back of the car, including a camera and jewelry.
Nunez, still in disbelief, said he's planning to upgrade his home's security system with video and alarms. The entire incident, including the thief's thirst quenching move, made the family feel violated
"He had a glass of iced tea because the pitcher of tea is on the counter, which my wife says that was not out," Nunez said. "So I think he made himself at home."
