Suspected burglar trapped inside Tottotville house

A burglar was trapped inside a house at Tottotville in Koblerville when the owners sought help from their neighbors who then surrounded the residence early Monday morning.

One of two police detectives had to kick the door of one of the bedrooms as defendant Cheyenne Sablan refused to open it.

The other detective had to calm the female owner of the house down because she was hysterical and screaming.

Sablan, 33, was arrested and taken to the Superior Court yesterday for bail hearing on charges of criminal mischief and burglary.

Associate Judge Teresa Kim-Tenorio imposed a $7,500 cash bail and set the preliminary hearing for Sept. 6 at 1:30pm.

Assistant public defender Cindy Nesbit was appointed as counsel for Sablan. Assistant attorney general Shannon Foley appeared for the government.

Police Detective Daniel T. Joab stated in his report that detectives Elias Saralu and Jeffrey Norita responded to Tottotville housing on Monday after learning about a burglary in progress at 1:31am.

Outside the house, detectives Saralu and Norita met the couple, who told them that the burglar was still inside one of their bedrooms.

The detectives directed the burglar, who was later identified as Sablan, to open the door, but he refused to comply. With the consent of the male owner of the house, detective Norita kicked the door to open it. Sablan was then arrested.

A neighbor told police that he was sleeping at his house when he heard yelling and screaming. The neighbor ran to the house of the victims, who told him that a burglar was still inside one of their bedrooms.

The neighbor said he walked to the window and saw Sablan trying to break the window to get out from the bedroom. The neighbor told Sablan to relax because police were already coming.

Detective Joab said during his interview the male victim said his wife woke him up at 1:30am and told him she heard someone trying to open the room’s door.

The victim said he exited from their bedroom and noticed that the window screen was broken and saw Sablan holding his laptop inside the bedroom.

He then shouted to his neighbors for help. He and some of his neighbors then surrounded the house so Sablan could not get out and escape until police’s arrival.

The victims said the same bedroom was burglarized twice before.