Intruder flees home when Modesto woman starts to call 911

After breaking into an elderly woman’s house Tuesday morning, an intruder fled when began to call 911, police say.

Shortly after 6 a.m., a man kicked in a rear door of a home on the 2000 block of Roble Avenue. The resident was asleep in bed, Lt. Jason Grogan said.

“I think he was startled” to encounter the woman, Lt. Jason Grogan said. “It’s almost like he thought the house was vacant.”

The intruder demanded cash and jewelry from the woman, Grogan said. He was shining a flashlight into her face, so she could not describe his appearance. “What’s scary is he wasn’t scared” when he realized the home was occupied, the lieutenant said. Only when she picked up the phone to call for help did he leave.

The 2000 block of Roble is about midway between La Loma Junior High School and El Vista Elementary.

Anyone with information on the crime can call Crime Stoppers at 209-521-4636. Tipsters can email through the Crime Stoppers website, www.stancrimetips.org, or text tips to 274637 by typing “Tip704” plus a message. Callers to Crime Stoppers can remain anonymous and are eligible for a reward.

This story was originally published December 8, 2015 at 8:47 AM with the headline "Intruder flees home when Modesto woman starts to call 911."