News

Actions

VIDEO: 'Athletic' trespasser roams Lakeside yard

Posted at 7:28 PM, Jan 19, 2016
and last updated 2016-01-19 22:28:48-05

A Lakeside man is warning his neighbors to watch out after surveillance video captured an uninvited guest in his backyard.

Around 1:30 a.m. Thursday, Craig Ovadia woke up to the sound of a chain link fence rattling. He heard a splash in his pool, and toting a gun and flashlight, he walked into his backyard, but saw nothing.

"I was anxious. I see a trail of water, and I don't know if it's a human or animal in my yard," said Ovadia.

Ovadia didn't see anything until he looked at his surveillance video.

"He was in and out pretty quick," said Ovadia, referring to the coyote spotted in the video.

The coyote was seen scrambling from the backyard to the front yard. At one point, it was seen checking out a car, while Ovadia's cat slept safely inside.

"It’s pretty unsettling," said Ovadia.

His unsettled feeling turned to amazement when he saw the coyote makes a 13-foot leap over his pool.

"You can see him use a step underwater to spring himself. He jumps and then pulls his front paws on the edge of the pool and pulls himself out. Pretty incredible animal," said Ovadia.

Incredible also fitting for what he discovered next.

Along his fence line, there were no signs of holes or damage, pointing toward one conclusion about how the coyote got out -- a big leap over a 6 foot, 6 inch fence.

The feats prompted Ovadia to issue a warning on social media. He posted the video on sites like the East County Brush Fire Partyline Facebook page.

"Six feet isn't going to cut it, folks," said Ovadia.

Ovadia also warned residents to be careful about what you leave in your backyard. He said there was cat food, and that may have attracted the coyote.