Burglar hid in closet all day while Texas family was home, police say

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, authorities said.

The Liberty County Sheriff's Office identified the man as Mike Even, 59.

Justyn Lleverino believes Even entered the Dayton home by climbing on a water pipe and through a bedroom window. His mother noticed the broken pipe around 8:30 last Friday morning, but did not notice anything else out of the ordinary. Lleverino says 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 pm that they all decided to call a deputy for help.

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

Even was arrested wearing only a T-shirt and boxers that were too small. Lleverino says 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.