Toms River Mother Shaken By Burglar Who Struck While Her Family Slept

TOMS RIVER, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Imagine a stranger entering your home while you sleep.

It was a reality for a Toms River mother of two who can't sleep after a burglar struck in the middle of the night.

"I noticed the back door was unlocked, and I was missing a pack of cigarettes," Antonietta Perkins said.

Then she looked around and noticed her two pocketbooks were also gone, with all of her tax information.

"Social security, medical cards, check books, debit cards, my whole life was in those bags," she said.

Police said the burglar got into the house on Wyoming Drive around 4:30 a.m. on Saturday.

"Somebody was in my house while my kids and I were sleeping," Perkins said.

Perkins and her two daughters, ages 6 and 8, slept with their doors open while an intruder walked around their kitchen no more than 5 ft away. Security footage confirmed her worst fear.

"And then there was a face on the screen and I had a panic attack and left the room," she said.

Perkins said she feels unsafe in her own home.

"No every little sound makes me get up and walk around the house," she said.

Neighbors feel the same way.

"Shocked when we heard someone went into Antonietta's house in there with kids. We have several small children. Disturbing to say the least. We want to find this guy ASAP," Louis Buongiorno said.

Police said the thief got onto the property from the other side of the deck, came down the stairs, and forced his way in through the garage door.

If he was looking for cash he didn't find much.

"Yeah he did all that for $10 cash, and kids gift cards, Build-A-Bear, AMC, and Claire's," Perkins said.

Police said the burglar was in his mid twenties, was wearing a zip up Champion brand hooded sweatshirt, jeans and what appear to be Adidas flip flops.

As for the family, Perkins said she is holding onto her girls a little tighter after the close call.

Police are zeroing in on three possible suspects.