Menifee man charged with burglary after 'prowling' through homes

MENIFEE, Calif. (AP) — A 29-year-old man suspected of loitering and burglarizing apartment complexes pleaded not guilty to first-degree burglary and other charges at his arraignment Tuesday, authorities said.

According to Menifee police, Menifee resident Irving William Firtha-Morrison was arrested Thursday after leading police on a short chase. Police said he matched the description of the prowler reported by residents.

Firtha-Morrison is charged with burglary with sentence-enhancing charges of violent conduct. He is accused of breaking into strangers' homes, which he said posed “a serious danger to the community,” according to the case filed by the Riverside County District Attorney's Office.

His next court hearing is a felony settlement conference scheduled for Oct. 9 at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta. As of Wednesday, he was still being held at the Cois Byrd Detention Center on $35,000 bail.

Menifee police began investigating last month after receiving reports of a hooded man wearing dark clothing wandering around apartment complexes in the early morning hours trying to find unlocked doors. In one case, the man entered a home through an unlocked door but fled when the residents woke up, police said.

The suspect was also caught on surveillance cameras multiple times, which was shared on social media platforms such as Nextdoor and Ring.

Last week, police discovered a man matching the reported description during an early morning stakeout in the area of ​​Park Plaza Avenue and Town Center Drive. When the officers approached him, he initially fled, but the police caught up with him and took him into custody.

Menifee residents are urged to keep their doors locked — “even when they are home” — and to report any suspicious activity to police at 951-677-4964.

Anyone with further information about Firtha-Morrison was asked to contact Detective Flores at 951-723-1663 or via email at [email protected].