'Very Scary For The Resident Who Was Home By Herself,' Cops Find Burglary Suspect Hiding In Leonia Closet

LEONIA, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- She thought it was an animal making noise upstairs, but police siad it turned out to be a burglar.

As CBS2's Alice Gainer reported, the suspect was hiding in an odd spot inside a home along a stretch of Harrison Road in Leonia.

"Very scary for the resident who was home by herself, thought maybe it was just an animal upstairs, and to actually find someone in your house," Captain Scott Tamagny, Leonia police said.

A woman up watching TV around 4 a.m. Sunday, heard noises.

She thought it was an animal so she started ringing the doorbell to try and scare it off, then she called police.

"Officers got there and found an open window on the first floor," Tamagny said.

Then they went upstairs.

"Found the suspect hiding on the floor of her bedroom closet...Is rare that we actually find someone inside the house," Tamagny said.

Fabian Soloman Reyes was in the closet with a glove and crowbar, police said.

Police arrested him without incident and said he may have done some work with a relative of the woman.

Neighbors were fairly surprised.

"Startled, but I'm not shocked entirely because we lock up everything all the time," one neighbor said.

Police said this was the second burglary they've responded to this week. Another happened at a nail salon.

"This is the time of year where it starts getting darker early, and burglaries do typically pick up this time of year because 5 o'clock, people aren't home from work yet, it's dark, and you can tell which houses are occupied," Tamagny said.

Police said to be sure to lock up tight and keep an eye out.

Reyes has been charged with burglary and possession of burglary tools.

He was released on his own recognizance and is due back in court on Oct. 26.