Suspect captured after allegedly breaking into home rented out by 12 USC students near campus

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Police have captured a suspected home intruder they say broke into a home occupied by twelve young women, all USC students.

The incident happened in the early morning hours on Menlo Avenue, just blocks away from campus, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

The suspect was recorded looking directly into the home's Ring camera on the front porch. He was also recorded on a different angle, heading toward the side door, which is where he broke in, the residents said.

That side door is supposed to lock automatically, but it does not. So the suspect was able to walk right in.

Three of the students were sitting at their dining room table doing homework at the time - when one of them started to scream.

"We ran into the other room, locked ourselves in there, and I still didn't know what was going on, but my roommate said, 'No. He's back. He's here. He's inside,'" said Sophia Ignon, a student who lives in the home.

The students say it isn't the first time that man has showed up at the house. He's been wandering nearby since Saturday, peeking in their windows and looking into their Ring camera.

This is also not the first time they've reported about the man to the university's Department of Public Safety.

"He's been here, and we've seen him before, and we've reported him before. So, this is what we were afraid was going to happen - and it did," Ignon said.

"Two of our roommates were upstairs sleeping, and he was wandering in our house. We don't know who he is, what prior crimes he may or may not have committed," said Molly Boland, who also lives at the home.

The women say they feel safer knowing he's been detained, but they're disappointed that it had to escalate to this point and feel not enough was done to keep the suspect away.

They said they want to see more public safety officers around the area.

"I was completely oblivious to the fact that he was roaming around here with a broom, like trying to get into the basement, and like right outside my window when I was sitting on the couch," said Ruby Moscona, who also lives at the home. "That was really scary."

We've reached out to the university's Department of Public Safety about this incident but have not heard back.