After forcing himself into a Westminster townhouse, a 44-year-old homeless man threatened the residents with a hammer, police said. Then, he reportedly asked for food.
The break-in was reported shortly before 6 a.m. on Wednesday, March 20 in the 14800 block of Cordoba Plaza, a quiet area tucked behind a busy main street.
Three women were asleep in their bedrooms when one was awakened by loud noises and came face-to-face with the man, who police believe got in through a sliding glass door.
A second woman fled while the third stayed behind and attempted to speak to the man, who police said asked for food after lifting his shirt and brandishing a hammer.
The women led him into the kitchen and offered him something to eat.
When police arrived, he was sitting on the living room couch, eating a banana and drinking from a bottle of whiskey he found inside the townhouse, according to a news release.
“I can only imagine how terrifying this must have been for the three victims,” Deputy Police Chief Cameron Knauerhaze said in a statement. “Their quick thinking aided in the police response and probably saved them from harm”,
The man was arrested on suspicion of armed robbery and burglary.
No injuries were reported. The women could not be reached for comment on Thursday.