Costa Mesa man arrested on suspicion of house burglary

Just six days out of county jail on a drug offense, a Costa Mesa man was arrested Friday on suspicion of burglarizing a home while he was under the influence.

Damian Pedersen, 22, allegedly entered a woman’s Costa Mesa home in the 100 block of Walnut Street early Friday afternoon while she was there alone and grabbed her purse, according to the Police Department.

When the woman confronted Pedersen, he dropped her purse and fled, police said.

Police then set up a perimeter to catch the alleged burglar. A short while later, police found Pedersen running in an alley near the 1900 block of Fullerton Avenue, less than half a mile away from the woman’s home.

Police arrested Pedersen, and he admitted to being recently released from jail on a drug offense and being under the influence of meth at the time of the burglary, police said.

Pedersen was released after serving 16 days of a 120-day sentence, according to police.

—Lauren Williams

Twitter: @lawilliams30