A 32-year-old woman faces a felony charge after police say she broke into a Cornelia residence. The elderly homeowner returned home and found the woman inside her house, says Cornelia Police Chief Chad Smith. The suspect was later identified as Elizabeth Robinson.
“The victim returned to her vehicle and called 911. Robinson ran out the backdoor of the house,” says Chief Smith.
Police later found Robinson in the area after receiving a tip from someone who saw a woman exiting the woods carrying a backpack. Officers took Robinson into custody without incident and charged her with burglary.
The May 4 incident on Hiawatha Road was originally reported as a home invasion, but it was not.
“There were no weapons used or threats made during this encounter,” says Smith, adding it’s an ongoing investigation.
This is not Robinson’s first brush with the law. Police arrested her days earlier, on April 27, after she allegedly broke into a car on South Main Street in Cornelia and ate food that was in the vehicle. Police charged her with criminal trespass. She spent three days in jail before the magistrate judge released her on her own recognizance.
Robinson’s mother was also recently arrested for burglary, according to officials. Michelle Robinson was booked into the Habersham County Detention Center on April 20 for burglary and obstructing a law enforcement officer. Online jail records show she was later released on a $3,500 bond.
