Police arrest suspect in naked burglaries
Columbia police on Sunday arrested a man accused of being found naked in strangers’ bedrooms over the weekend.
Officers arrested Victor H. Mendoza, 35, on suspicion of two counts of first-degree burglary, two counts of first-degree sexual misconduct, drug possession and resisting arrest, the Columbia Police Department said in a news release.
The arrest came after people in two separate homes reported finding a man naked in their bedrooms early Saturday. Police held a news conference Sunday afternoon and said Monday that the arrest came within 12 hours of the news conference.
“I want to thank our media partners, Boone County Joint Communications, the courageous members of our community who came forward to help identify the suspect, and our police officers who worked together across shifts and divisions to bring resolution,” interim Police Chief Geoff Jones said in the news release.
Mendoza was in the Boone County Jail on Monday morning with bond to be set.
The burglaries happened early Saturday in the 5800 block of Canaveral Drive and the 5800 block of Neptune. A man entered two unlocked homes in east Columbia, and the people inside woke up to find him naked in their bedrooms.
Jones said at the news conference Sunday that the man was found under the person’s bed at one home. At the other home, the man was found lying on the floor of the bedroom.
He left both homes immediately after he was confronted. There was no evidence of forced entry, and no reported property damage, injuries or missing items.
LIVE PLAYBACK: Sunday CPD news conference
