SAN DIEGO, CA — A San Diego couple flying home from a trip watched through their security cameras as a burglar climbed into their house, ate food from their refrigerator and took a nap — all while their golden retriever repeatedly brought him toys to play with.
Dante Rowley and his fiancée, Stephanie Calderon, were returning from Chicago last week when they opened their Ring app and spotted a ladder propped against a second-story window of their Sherman Heights home.
The intruder, John Cline, 57, climbed inside, removed his shirt and shoes, ate food from the refrigerator, and took a nap, according to security footage.
Throughout the break-in, Nash, the couple's 4-year-old golden retriever, repeatedly approached the man with toys, trying to get him to play.
"Nash is not the greatest guard dog," Rowley told NBC 7 San Diego. "We thought that he was going to be barking at people, and he did the exact opposite."
Video of the encounter has since gone viral, drawing millions of views on social media. Rowley told the Los Angeles Times that nothing was stolen and there was no damage to the home.
From the plane, Rowley contacted San Diego police and gave officers access to the home's live security cameras, according to FOX 5/KUSI. Officers arrived within minutes and used a drone to search the home before taking the intruder into custody. Cline was arrested on suspicion of first-degree burglary.
Nash greeted the officers with a toy, too.
City News Service contributed to this report.
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
San Diego Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.