New Iberia Man Wakes Up to Intruder in His Bedroom, Shares Warning to Lock Doors

NEW IBERIA, La. – A New Iberia man is reminding residents to double-check their locks after he woke up to a complete stranger standing in the doorway of his bedroom early Thursday morning (July 24).

Robert Pineda says the scary encounter happened around 2 a.m. at his home, and he shared the details in a Facebook post that quickly gained local attention.

“I was woken up when a man I have never met before was standing in the doorway to my bedroom saying he was being chased,” Pineda wrote. The man claimed he jumped Pineda’s fence to escape people trying to harm him and then entered Pineda’s house through an unlocked door.

Pineda says the man claimed someone else had been breaking in and that he entered the house to “chase them off.” At that point, Pineda grabbed a weapon and calmly escorted the man outside while keeping him in sight until police arrived.

Neighbors Also Targeted in Overnight Incident

According to Pineda and several neighbors, the man had been trying to get into other homes along the street just moments earlier. One neighbor reported the man pulling at their front door, while another said their sliding glass door had been shattered.

Luckily, police were already in the area after responding to a similar call just 10 minutes prior. Pineda says New Iberia Police arrived quickly and were able to take the man into custody without further incident.

Man Allegedly Admits to Drug Use, Claims Innocence

Once police arrived, Pineda says the man didn’t run or resist. Instead, he repeated the story that he was chasing off another intruder.

He also reportedly admitted to officers that he had taken drugs earlier in the evening.

“He didn’t run. He said he was just trying to help, but admitted he had taken something,” Pineda told us.

A Reminder to Lock Up, Even in “Safe” Neighborhoods

Pineda says the experience was a wake-up call, and he hopes others will learn from what happened to him and his family.

“These things happen fast. I usually check all the doors before bed, but I missed one. Luckily, I didn’t have to use my weapon.”

He also praised his neighbor Ty and the quick response by New Iberia Police for helping keep the situation from escalating further.

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“Please, no matter how safe your neighborhood feels, always lock your doors,” Pineda said.