US: Armed burglar in search of a warm place leaves $200 in a home as apology

Thief said he had broken into the home as he was afraid of freezing to death and needed a warm place to sleep.

Published: Tue 8 Feb 2022, 8:04 PM

Last updated: Tue 8 Feb 2022, 8:15 PM

An armed thief, left a house owner $200 and apologised for breaking into his home after he was caught eating and drinking inside their home in an American city.

Afraid of freezing to death in a blizzard, Teral Christesson, 34 sought refuge in the house after breaking through the window. He was reportedly found by the Santa Fe Police.

The Santa Fe Police responded to a residence call in Vereda Serena, Santa Fe, on Sunday (February 6), after a man entered his home to find an unknown man sitting there, armed with an AR-15 scoped rifle, according to court documents filed in the Santa Fe County Magistrate Court, which were obtained by the Santa Fe New Mexican.

Apparently, Teral had been drinking and eating shrimp when the caller had arrived. When the police arrived, an embarrassed Teral apologised to the homeowner, explaining that he had only wanted a warm place to stay. Saying so, he grabbed his rifle and duffel bag, left $200 as "reimbursement for the window he broke", and left.

The following day, the Santa Fe police were called to Church's Chicken at Rodeo Road, Santa Fe. The caller, a woman, explained that a man with a rifle and a duffel bag (suspected to be Teral) had accosted her, telling her to get out of her car. Thinking on her feet, the woman blared her car horn a few times, which led him to flee.

Teral was later found some way off from the restaurant. "Christesson told investigators he was 'caught in a blizzard' Sunday and was afraid he would freeze, according to the statement of probable cause," reports the Santa Fe New Mexican. Although he reiterated that he had felt bad about the home invasion the previous day, he remained silent about the restaurant incident.

He was booked into the Santa Fe County jail on charges of aggravated burglary, larceny (of $15), and criminal damage to property, and has also been charged for aggravated assault (restaurant incident), by the Santa Fe police.