‘I can’t call anyone, he’ll hear me’: Terrified Port Lincoln teenager texts mother about intruder in their house

A quick-thinking teenager raised the alarm about an intruder in her bedroom via text – before her dad chased the accused down the street in his dressing gown. Watch the CCTV.

A mum has described the shocking moment her daughter’s text messages alerted the family to an intruder rifling through their home.

The Port Lincoln family was asleep when a boy with backpacks allegedly broke in and began roaming through their Hilltop Drive home at 4.30 on Sunday morning.

Their 15-year-old daughter was woken by the intruder when he entered her bedroom.

The quick-thinking teenager, who wished not to be named, began messaging her mum to raise the alarm.

“Mum wake up please,” her message read. “Someone’s in our house.”

A quick-thinking Port Lincoln teenager began text messaging her mum to raise the alarm of an alleged intruder. Picture: Supplied

The accused, a 15-year-old Port Lincoln boy, allegedly gained access to the house through the front door, unfazed by an outdoor sensor light that automatically turned on when he arrived.

The mother and homeowner said the intruder began switching lights on inside the home, allegedly taking a PlayStation, handbag, three bottles of alcohol and cash.

“He came into the property and switched the cameras off at the power points,” she said.

“My husband chucked on a dressing gown, looked down off the balcony to see the man going through the content of his backpack in the driveway.”

Outdoor surveillance footage captured the accused leaving the premises with a backpack, which allegedly contained stolen goods.

Surveillance footage captured an alleged trespasser running down the drive with a backpack containing goods believed to have been stolen from the Port Lincoln property. Picture: Supplied

Screams from the distressed family can be heard in the footage while the father chases the intruder down the driveway.

“My husband instinctively ran downstairs, chased after him down the street and found him hiding behind a bush in a neighbouring residence,” she said.

Police officers arrived at the scene at the same time as a taxi, which the accused allegedly called to use as his “getaway car”.

“We are emotionally rattled,” said the homeowner. “It is a complete violation of our privacy. Our two kids want us to sell our house.”

The Hilltop Drive resident said it was the second time their home had been targeted.

In April, an intruder, whom homeowners believe to be the same culprit, scaled the second-floor balcony and entered their home through the balcony door, taking an Apple watch, AirPods, cash and alcohol.

“We need to make a noise about this because crime is becoming such a huge issue in our community,” she said.

The accused appeared in the Adelaide Youth Court on Monday charged with 11 offences, including three counts of serious criminal trespass, two counts dishonestly taking property without consent and two counts of failing to comply with bail agreement.

He did not apply for bail and was remanded in custody to reappear in the Port Lincoln Magistrates Court on December 6.