A woman arrived home Thursday afternoon, only to be startled by a stranger hiding in her garage.
The incident took place just before 5:30 p.m. in the 1200 block of South Barranca Avenue.
The man told the frightened resident that he was hiding and claimed that people were chasing him. The man gained entry through the garage door, which was partially open, said Lieutenant James DeMond.
The woman reportedly opened the garage door all the way and left to another room, DeMond said.
The man left before officers arrived, but within minutes of arriving police received a call from someone at Oakdale Memorial Park, 1401 South Grand Avenue, reporting that a man fitting the description of the suspect was inside the cemetery and claimed to be hiding from his pursuers, according to scanner reports.
Police arrived and arrested Michael Reese, 24, identified as a transient. Reese was arrested on an outstanding theft warrant. It was not immediately known if Reese was able to corroborate the claim that he was being chased.
Reese was eventually issued a citation and released.
