Oops! Alleged Burglar Opens Palo Alto Car Door, Finds Security Guard Inside

PALO ALTO - When an alleged Palo Alto auto burglar opened an unlocked door handle of a car parked on Hamilton Avenue last week, a surprise awaited him.

A private security officer was sitting in the car.

According to online information posted, Palo Alto police received a call shortly before 3 a.m. on Thursday, March 31 from a security officer sitting in an unmarked SUV in the 1400 block of Hamilton Avenue.

The officer reported the attempted burglary of his vehicle as suspect fled.

After a brief chase, Palo Alto police arrested 52-year-old Curtis Edward Jordan, Jr. of East Palo Alto, and took him custody on Edgewood Drive at Newell Road a few minutes later.

Police say their investigation revealed that the private security officer had witnessed the suspect walking down the street, trying door handles on parked vehicles.

Palo Alto Police booked Curtis Jordan, Jr. into the Santa Clara County Main Jail for felony attempted auto burglary and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Palo Alto 24-hour dispatch center at 650-329-2413.

Anonymous tips can be e-mailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent via text message or voice mail to 650-383-8984.

Tips can also be submitted anonymously through their mobile app, downloadable at bit.ly/PAPD-AppStore or bit.ly/PAPD-GooglePlay.

-image via Palo Alto Police