A bizarre break-in in Missouri ended with an unexpected snack when police say a woman walked into a stranger’s home and started eating a bowl of Fruity Pebbles in the kitchen.
Teara Joann Smith was arrested March 3 in Springfield, Missouri, after a homeowner called police to report a strange woman inside the house, according to a probable cause statement.
The situation unfolded after the homeowner’s son came downstairs to investigate a burning smell in the house. When he reached the kitchen, he reportedly found Smith casually sitting there eating cereal.
He quickly alerted his mother, telling her there was “a strange lady in the kitchen eating cereal.”
According to police, the son had first gone downstairs after noticing something burning. When he entered the kitchen, he saw Smith petting one of the family’s dogs while the oven was turned on.
The homeowner then went into the kitchen herself and confronted the uninvited guest, reportedly telling Smith to clean up the mess she had made.
When officers arrived at the scene, they found Fruity Pebbles and milk scattered across the kitchen floor. Investigators also noticed a burnt smell inside the home.
Police say Smith was not wearing pants, shoes, or socks when they found her. Instead, she had a jacket tied around her waist.
Officers also believed she appeared to be under the influence of a controlled substance. According to the report, it took several minutes for Smith to give officers her name, and she was allegedly smiling, giggling, and making comments that didn’t make sense.
The next day, investigators interviewed Smith at the jail.
According to police, she told officers she had been walking around the neighborhood when she noticed the house and believed it was some kind of “fair.”
Smith said she approached the front door, knocked, and rang the doorbell. When she thought she heard something inside, she decided to walk into the home.
Once inside, she told police she was hungry and decided to make herself a bowl of cereal.
Smith denied turning on the stove, claiming it was already on when she entered the house. She also admitted she had smoked marijuana earlier that day.
Authorities charged Smith with first-degree burglary. She has pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Kids, this is what happens when you do meth