Man Broke-In to Florida Home on Christmas Eve, Grabbed Girl, 11, Chased Away by Father

ORMOND BEACH, FLORIDA – A man forced his way into a home in Florida on Christmas Eve and almost snatched an 11 year old girl, but was chased away by her father just in time. The man was arrested following other suspicious activity in the area soon afterwards, according to authorities.

21 year old Steven M. Hasugulgum stood outside of a home in the Ormond Beach area at about 6 p.m. on Tuesday when the 11 year old girl opened a sliding glass door and stepped outside, according to the Volusia Sheriff’s Office on Facebook.

Mr Hasugulgum advanced towards the girl, placed his fingers onto her lips and told her to “shh,’ then he forced her back into the home.

Mr Hasugulgum followed the girl into the house while grabbing her by her hand and pulling her towards him, but Derek Kloepfer who is the girl’s father was alerted by the intruder’s presence and chased him away, Sheriff’s deputies reported.

“If I would have grabbed him, I’m sure there would have been some consequences,” FOX35 Orlando quotes Mr Kloepfer as saying.

The incident was captured by home surveillance video, and police immediately started to track the suspect.

After only 40 minutes of Mr Hasugulgum fleeing the Kloepfer home, he attempted to break into a different home in the nearby area, according to deputies.

A woman said to authorities that the man tried to turn the knob on the home’s front door, but it was locked. She told them she saw Hasugulgum after opening her front door, and that he was “acting erratic and holding a hammer.” The suspect them attempted to break into her SUV but was scared away when the woman activated the vehicle’s panic alarm, the Volusia Sheriff’s Office reported.

Eventually 21 year old Steven M. Hasugulgum was arrested by Sheriff’s deputies after he showed up near the first house less than one hour later.

Mr Hasugulgum resides in Daytona Beach, but his citizenship is of the Federated States of Micronesia, which is a country made up of over 600 islands located in the western Pacific Ocean, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Mr Hasugulgum has been charged with burglary with battery, attempted burglary of an unoccupied conveyance, and attempted burglary of an occupied dwelling. The suspect’s intentions with the 11 year old girl seem evident, and although luckily no harm came to the girl, it’s unfortunate no charges could made for his criminal intent against the girl.

Steven M. Hasugulgum remains in police custody and is being held at the Volusia County Branch Jail with his bond amount set at $20,000.