By Bay City News Service
A 17-year-old boy was arrested Monday in Scotts Valley after a resident interrupted him as he was allegedly burglarizing her home, police said.
The woman found the teenager with a backpack inside her residence at about 2:05 p.m. The teen attempted to run away, but was stopped by the resident in the driveway, Scotts Valley police said.
The suspect and resident briefly struggled over the backpack and the suspect dropped a large jar of loose change that belonged to the resident, according to police.
The boy broke free and ran away with the woman chasing after him, police said.
Police said the woman flagged down a passing motorist who called 911 and reported the incident.
Responding officers located the suspect several blocks away and took him into custody. Officers recovered additional items that were stolen from the residence, including a laptop computer, police said.
The resident discovered that the suspect had gained access to her home by removing a window screen, according to police.
The boy, a Scotts Valley resident, was arrested and booked into juvenile hall, police said. His name has been withheld because of his age.
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