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Stolen iPad Gives Away Location Of Christmas Gift Burglar

WESTLAKE VILLAGE (CBS) — The "pinging" of an iPad led police to a burglary suspect and more than 40 stolen Christmas presents.

Around 3:30 AM on Christmas Sunday, a Westlake Village man was awakened by the sounds of a burglary in progress in his home on the 4000 block of Whitesail Circle.

Lt. James Royal of the Malibu/Lost Hills sheriff's station says the man confronted the intruder and chased him a short distance before losing sight of him.

The burglar made off with an Apple iPad.

"Later that morning, the victim called the station and told the deputies his iPad was 'pinging' from a nearby home," says Royal. "Deputies responded to the location, located the iPad, and arrested the suspect."

The suspect was identified as Patrick Krewson, 20, of Vista.

Royal says further investigation led deputies to a burglary just a few days prior, in which two flat screen televisions, a laptop computer, and more than 40 Christmas presents were taken.

Police located all of the stolen property during a search of Krewson's residence.

"When Malibu/Lost Hills deputies notified the Vista victim that her Christmas presents had been located in time to give them to the children for Christmas, she began to cry," Royal said.

Krewson was being held in lieu of $50,000 bail for Sunday's Westlake Village incident.

San Diego authorities will file additional charges against him for earlier the Vista burglary.

(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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