INDIANAPOLIS -- An Illinois man was arrested Wednesday morning after a 12-year-old girl caught him trying to force his way into her home.
Southport police were called to a residence on the 200 block of Walnut Street around 5:45 a.m. Wednesday on a report of a burglary in progress.
They arrived to find 36-year-old Tluang Kip Thang, of East Moline, Illinois, in a state of intoxication.
Melissa Tanner says her 12-year-old daughter was the first to spot Thang peering through the window of their home. Tanner said he then tried to physically force his way inside.
"[My daughter] started screaming," Tanner said. "I guess he was looking through the window, so she obviously made eye contact and started freaking out. I said, 'What are you doing?' And he said, 'I don't know. My friends are coming.'"
Southport police arrived and took Thang into custody on preliminary charges of burglary, criminal trespassing and public intoxication.
Southport Police Chief Tom Vaughn said the department has had run-ins with Thang in the past, including on Tuesday, when they questioned him in connection to calls about a suspicious person. He was not take into custody in that incident.
"He has been arrested several times for trespassing. Most of that's alcohol related," Vaughn said.
Vaughn said he didn't think Thang was trying to get to the child -- rather, just to get inside somewhere to fall asleep.
No injuries were reported in the incident.
