NEWPORT BEACH : Peanut Butter Was Officers’ 1st Clue

A homeless man who allegedly broke into an office building was found asleep in front of an office refrigerator with peanut butter smeared on his face, police said.

Newport Beach police arrested the 45-year-old transient Wednesday after responding to an early morning burglary call in a nearby building near Fashion Island. Officers found Donald E. Morin asleep and allegedly in possession of items missing from the office to which police had been called.

Police are holding Morin on charges of commercial burglary for breaking the glass window on the building at 567 San Nicolas Drive and taking $30 in cash and some credit cards, said Sgt. Andy Gonis, community relations officer.

Police said Morin, who at first gave the police a false name, has an outstanding warrant on a $394 traffic fine.

Gonis added that as part of the routine investigation of the damaged suite, officers checked neighboring offices for other disturbances.

“That’s when they found the suspect in the adjacent suite,” he said. “The suspect was awakened, and he had peanut butter smeared on his face.”

Gonis added that there had been no jars of peanut butter or sandwiches in the second office, but “there was peanut butter disturbed in the first office.”

Morin is being held on $10,000 bail, and is expected to be arraigned in Municipal Court later this week.