A Turlock woman, who was reporting a break-in at her apartment to law enforcement, spotted the alleged burglar in the parking lot of the Turlock Police Department.

The suspect, identified as Larry Laugen, 37, was at the police department for a mandatory sex offender registration, Turlock Police spokesperson Officer Mayra Lewis said.

The incident began shortly before 11:30 a.m. Wednesday when a woman living in the 200 block of Almond Avenue heard someone knocking on the front door of her apartment.

The woman ignored the knocking on the front door and was startled to see the man go into her backyard.

The woman told the police investigator that the man pried the lock off the rear sliding glass door and entered her apartment.

The woman said she confronted the man and he told her he must have the wrong house and then he left, Lewis recounted.

The woman contacted the Turlock Police Department and a search of the area was conducted, but no suspect was located.

As the investigation progressed the woman was brought to the police department for an interview. She was being escorted out of the department by an officer when she spotted a man standing in the parking lot that she recognized.

“She said, ‘Hey, that’s the guy. The man who broke in,’” Lewis said.

The man matched the description she had provided to the officer earlier, Lewis said.

Laugen was placed under arrest for suspicion of burglary. Laugen was at the police department for mandatory sex offender registration.