Homeless Man Broke Into Hoboken Woman's Apartment To Bathe, Police Say

A homeless man has been charged with breaking into a woman's Hoboken apartment to bathe, according to police reports.

On Sunday evening around 5 p.m., the 24-year-old woman returned to her Willow Avenue apartment and attempted to unlock the door, but found the security chain was drawn across it, reports said.

She and her boyfriend smelled burnt cigarettes coming from the apartment and immediately called police, reports said.

An officer who responded to the scene noticed the basement door was leaning open, reports said. The woman said the door, which was heavily damaged during Hurricane Sandy, leads up to her apartment on the first floor, reports said.

Inside the apartment, they found cigarette butts, drink bottles, clothing and other items that didn't belong to the woman, reports said. In the bathroom, the tub was filled up with water and a used razor and Q-Tip were lying on the floor, reports said.

The woman told police she had been away since December 23 and had cleaned up before she left, reports said.

Police also found three prescription blanks and Hoboken University Medical Center discharge papers filled out to an Anthony Monteleone, reports said.

An officer on the scene said he had seen Monteleone, a homeless man from Hoboken, walking by with his hair wet and face clean shaven just before entering the victim's apartment, reports said.

When officers found Monteleone, 41, he had several items that had been reported stolen from the woman's apartment, and a bag of marijuana in his pocket, reports said.

Monteleone was arrested and charged with criminal mischief, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, burglary, and theft of movable property.