Florida man breaks into woman's home to pet family cat

St. Petersburg woman's neighbor arrested after returning to home days later

Jasper Fiorenza was arrested on a burglary charge after his neighbor says he broke into her Florida home and was petting her cat at the foot of her bed.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – A Florida woman said she was startled when she woke up last month to find her neighbor petting her cat.

"I could see the shadow of a man standing at the end of my bed," Brittney Cline told WFTS, the ABC affiliate in Tampa, of the bizarre incident that happened early in the morning on Nov. 20.

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Cline said she was asleep in her St. Petersburg home when her cat jumped off the bed and woke her up.

"There was a man crouched down at the foot of my bed, petting the cat," Cline said. "He wasn't looking at me."

Cline said the man got away, but he returned Wednesday morning. This time, Cline was ready for him, as were police.

"I can't believe he came back," Cline said.

Jasper Fiorenza, 24, was arrested on charges of burglary and resisting an officer without violence.

It turns out Fiorenza was Cline's neighbor.

"I hope he goes to prison for a long time," Cline said.


About the Author:

Peter Burke returned for a second stint of duty at Local 10 News in February 2014.