SALT LAKE CITY — Kiera Scott is used to being the last one awake in her home in her Sugar House neighborhood, but in the early hours Monday, someone else inside the house was also wide awake.
"Somebody opened my door and just peeked their head in and just said "Oh, sorry,' and then closed the door," recalled Scott. "I thought it was my mom because it was dark."
Confident she wasn't dreaming or hallucinating. Keira went to her mother's room to make sure it was her who peered inside; to her shock, the answer was was no.
"I could see the fear wash all over her, so I knew something was wrong," said Keira's mom, Danielle.
The two got up and noticed a closet in the far side of the family room was slightly ajar. Inside was a woman they did not know and wearing Danielle's pajamas.
"It looked like she was making a bed for the night trying to get warm," Danielle remarked.
"My mom was like holding the door shut with the lady in it, and I bolted upstairs to grab a kitchen knife and call 911," Kiera said. "We kind of basically chased her out of our house. after she was out we went outside to our car and locked ourselves in the car."
Police responded to the area shortly and began locking down the area, with officers locating the suspect, 28-year-old Abigail Barney, after about an hour.
During their investigation, police were able to connect Barney to three residential burglaries in the neighborhood — including the Scott's — and she was arrested on three counts of burglary. Police say they also found evidence indicating Barney likely attempted to unlawfully enter several other homes in the neighborhood.
"We do know the suspect knew one of the victims they were in a former relationship, but two of the burglaries appear to be completely random strangers," said Salt Lake City police spokesperson Brent Weisberg.
The Scott's say Barney got into their home through an unlocked window. Although they plan on double and even triple-checking their locks from now on, they say they don't feel as safe in their home as they did before.
"I just can't even imagine thinking if my mom was here alone," Keira said. "I just don't even want to think about what could have happened."
"We're definitely amping up security, getting better lights, more cameras," Danielle added.
Salt Lake City police say burglaries are often crimes of opportunity. Some prevention tips the department gave include never leave a window or garage open, increasing lighting around your home, consider installing alarms with cameras, remove items and of interest, and report suspicious activity immediately to 911.
