Police: Burglar hid in home's closet all day as family was home in Texas

DAYTON, Texas -- While many people spent the day after Thanksgiving watching football, eating or shopping, an accused burglar spent it hiding in a closet despite the family being home.

The ordeal happened in Dayton, Texas. The Liberty County Sheriff's Office identified the suspected burglar as Mike Even, 59.

Justyn Lleverino said he believes Even got in his home by climbing on a water pipe and through a bedroom window. His mother noticed the broken pipe around Friday morning, but did not notice anything else out of the ordinary.

Lleverino said when he got home later that afternoon, a few things seemed out of place. Still, over the next two hours, he video-chatted with his girlfriend, took a shower and even checked his closet -- twice. It wasn't until around 6:30 p.m. that they all decided to call a deputy for help.

"I was like, I looked in there twice and I didn't see anything," Lleverino told our sister station KTRK. "He looked in there and he found someone in there and I was kind of shocked. It's like that violated feeling."

Even was arrested wearing only a T-shirt and boxers that were too small. Lleverino said they found his wet clothes under the bed along with a watch, his driver's license, a necklace and an old check they believe he planned to steal.

The family now looks at the experience as a lesson learned about how unsecured their home really was.

Even is charged with burglary of a habitation and is being held on a $5,000 bond.