Woman Uses Knife to Ward Off Intruder

A 19-year-old Laguna Niguel woman scared off a masked intruder early Monday, officials said.

The man came through the back door of the woman's home in the 100 block of Shorebreaker around 3:40 a.m., she told sheriff's deputies. He wore a mask, gloves, long-sleeved shirt and pants, all black, she said.

"She screamed and grabbed a kitchen knife, and he ran out of the home up the hillside," said O.C. Sheriff's spokesman Jim Amormino. "We conducted a search with a K9 unit for several hours, but we were unable to find the subject."

The man was described as 6 feet tall, 200 pounds and stocky, Amormino said.

"It's best to keep doors and windows locked when going to sleep," he said.