Police ID Burglary Suspect Who Demanded Meal at Santa Ana Apartment

A woman who saw media reports about the suspect confirmed his identity with detectives

Police have identified a man who allegedly stole money from a woman’s home while she was sleeping before breaking into another apartment in the same Santa Ana complex and demanding the resident cook for him

Detectives said they believe the man to be Thomas Walker, 40, who was already in custody from an undercover bust Wednesday for selling methamphetamine to an officer, officials said. Walker is being held in lieu of $1 million, the Santa Ana Police Department announced Friday.

After watching media reports about the Monday burglary, a woman informed detectives that a man who fit the police description abandoned a bike and clothing in her Santa Ana apartment complex. She also told detectives that the man later returned to the complex to look for the bike.

The man allegedly entered a woman’s apartment on Monday through an unlocked door and stole $100 from her purse before he was confronted by the victim’s son, police said.

Officials said the man then calmly left the residence on the 500 block of N. Lyon Street before returning to the apartment complex a few hours later. He allegedly forced his way into another residence and held a woman hostage in her apartment for two to three hours, police said.

Police added that the man demanded the victim cook for him while he ingested narcotics in the apartment before fleeing on her blue Schwinn Beach Cruiser.

Since the man was positively identified by victims and witnesses on Thursday, he may face additional charges beyond his methamphetamine bust, officials said.

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They believe he may be a transient who frequented the area.

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