Clovis homeowner scares off intruder inside his home

CLOVIS, Calif. (KFSN) -- It's 10:15 a.m. Thursday and a man shows up on the doorstep of Preston Holder's house.

Surveillance cameras capture him gently pushing open the door.

There are people inside, and two pit bulls soon start to bark.

Just when you think it's time for him to abandon this hot prowl, the man walks inside.

"He didn't say anything. It was just odd. Somebody in your house and you don't know who he is. He's got the door shut behind him," said Holder.

Holder, his wife, and kids were completely caught off guard. The family of four lives near Ashlan and Locan. They assumed the man had accidentally walked into the wrong house and demanded that he leave.

"He didn't give me a scared reaction. He gave me nothing. That's when I realized there's something really not right about the whole situation."

As Preston's wife called 911, he continued to yell while standing his ground, trying to read the suspect's next move.

"Somebody doing this, their hands are in their pocket, and they are staring at you, looking through you, could be anything."

Eventually, the intruder backed off, ran out of the house, and was arrested a few blocks over by Clovis Police. Officers identified the man as 21-year-old Hunter Attebery of Hanford.

Holder says he is extremely diligent about locking his doors, but this morning he unlocked it while taking trips to throw away the trash. The man slipped in during that time.

"Let this be a lesson to everybody, make sure you always have your doors locked. Flip the deadbolt; it will give you a little bit of time."

The Clovis father has already added new fortifications to his house, including a screen door. He says additional cameras will also be installed in the coming days.

Attebery was placed under arrest for residential burglary of an occupied dwelling and resisting arrest.