A felony burglary charge was filed Tuesday against a parolee who allegedly broke into a home in a Desert Hot Springs gated community and was kept at the scene by residents until police arrived to arrest him.
Court records show that Jason Douglas Smith, 43, of Desert Hot Springs, who’s scheduled to make his initial court appearance Tuesday afternoon, has prior felony convictions for burglary, battery, making criminal threats, dissuading a witness and evading arrest.
A homeowner phoned police at 3:54 p.m. last Friday, saying that he arrived home to find Smith inside his residence in the 66800 block of Joshua Court.
The homeowner, along with friends and neighbors, “confronted” Smith, “recovered some stolen property, called 911 and kept the male suspect occupied and unable to easily flee the gated neighborhood before police could arrive,” according to the Desert Hot Springs Police Department.
Smith was found “standing in the street” by responding officers.