North Bay woman surprises burglars, gets knocked down; police have surveillance

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. (KTVU) - A brazen daytime burglary in San Rafael ended with the resident surprising the thieves and getting knocked flat. 

It was caught on video and police investigators are asking for the public's help identifying the suspects.     

"They put their shoulder down and knocked her to the ground," San Rafael Police Sgt. Scott Eberle told KTVU, describing the confrontation that occurred on Friday Aug. 5.

"I could hear screaming and yelling and I thought it was her laughing, and she has two college age daughters," a neighbor told KTVU, remaining anonymous.

That neighbor saw an unfamiliar car next door, and heard shouts, but it didn't occur to her that a crime was underway. 

"Then I ended up going out and she was standing there, hysterical, and they had already left," she added.

The victim, in her fifties, came home from the store about 9 a.m. to find the strange car in her driveway with a woman at the wheel.

"She saw someone parked in her carport, and asked her to leave," recounted Sgt. Eberle. 

Then, the resident continued to her front door but was confronted by two men running out. They were not going to let her interfere.  

"One man tucked his shoulder down and knocked her right to the ground causing her groceries to go all over the place," described Eberle, "and it definitely seems like an assault, it looked like a football tackle."

Home surveillance captured images of the men, both African American, in their early twenties, wearing hooded sweatshirts and jeans.

One is about 5'7", the other is taller. They got away with electronics and jewelry.

"Burglary suspects will pick areas that are out of the way, " said Sgt. Eberle, noting that Fair Drive, while close to the 101 freeway, is woodsy and secluded with many homes situated on a steep down slope.  

The burglars entered through a kitchen window and although the victim's husband was home the entire time, he was wearing headphones in another part of the house, and didn't hear or see a thing.

"The way the homes are set, you can't see your neighbor," observed longtime resident Gail Boyd, who said news of the burglary and rough encounter, had spread through the close knit community.

"I'm just thankful she's okay, and there's no physical, real physical harm," added Boyd. 

Home security also captured the getaway car, and it was traced to an address in San Leandro, where police arrested 21-year-old Kayla Toi Walker, the alleged driver, on Thursday.

She was booked in the Marin County jail on burglary and robbery charges.