Woman Burglarizing Occupied South Bay Home Arrested: Police

PALO ALTO, CA — A Georgia woman was arrested Monday after police said she burglarized an occupied Palo Alto home before later trying to get into locked vehicles nearby.

Officers responded around 7:40 a.m. to the 1100 block of Ramona Street after a resident reported finding an unknown woman inside her home, according to the Palo Alto Police Department.

Police said the suspect entered through an unlocked back door and was stuffing about $1,000 worth of belongings into a backpack when the homeowner confronted her and ordered her to leave. The suspect fled before officers arrived.

Police searched the area but were unable to find her.

Later that afternoon, officers responded to the 1800 block of Middlefield Road after receiving reports of a woman trying to open locked car doors. Officers detained the suspect and determined she was the same person involved in the earlier burglary, police said.

The suspect, identified as 54-year-old Funda Yilmaz of Georgia, was arrested without incident. Police said the stolen property was recovered.

Yilmaz was booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail on suspicion of residential burglary, police said.