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Caught On Camera: Burglar Breaks Into Porter Ranch Home With Family Upstairs

PORTER RANCH (CBSLA) — When an unidentified man forced his way into the living room of a Porter Ranch family's home earlier this month, Sharon Der and her two teen sons were upstairs completely unaware of the intruder.

Porter Ranch Burglary
When an unidentified man forced his way into the living room of a Porter Ranch home earlier this month, Sharon Der and her two teen sons were upstairs completely unaware of the intruder. (Security Video)

"Initially, like I said, I was in shock," Der said. "It didn't hit me until the day after."

The family only realized what happened after neighbors who witnessed what was happening called the police and they watched the security video. The man was only inside for about 15 seconds before running back out with a backpack full of sodas, but he had been enjoying the property's amenities for much longer.

"He's also seen dipping in the pool, he learned where we had kept our pool towels. We keep our pool towels poolside," Der said. "He also ate some lemons off the lemon tree."

It was then that security footage showed him trying to enter the home.

"He attempted to open the door through the dining room area first, and those doors didn't open," Der said.

The man then tried the French doors that lead to the living room and was able to break in after a few tries. Looking back on the July 8 incident, Der said she believes the man ran out because he got scared when he heard on of her sons heading downstairs.

"I was scared, and I was completely on edge for the next two days," she said. "I wasn't sleeping at night, I felt like I had to scout the backyard."

Der's husband, Roger, was not home at the time, but said he was shocked at how brazen the man was and has since reinforced security at the home to protect his family.

"You feel so violated that someone has intruded on your home, which you consider your safe place and then to know that my family is there and they were at risk," he said.

The Der family said they wanted to share their story to make sure their neighbors and community were aware of what happened so they could prevent it from happening to them.

"We have each other's backs, and we do watch out for each other," Der said.

Police have not yet identified the man in the video and no arrests have been made.

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