Calif. woman rescued after attempting chimney break-in

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - One California woman attempted to pull a Santa Claus and slide down the chimney of a home, but unlike the jolly man in red, she did not come bearing any Christmas gifts.

Genoveva Nunez-Figueroa, 30, was reportedly trapped in a chimney for several hours overnight, according to CBS Los Angeles. Neighbors had heard the woman screaming and called officials around 6 a.m. on Sunday.

Robert Fisher, one of the neighbors who called authorities, took photos of the woman while she was being rescued. He couldn't believe it, he says.

"This woman was definitely in distress," Fisher told the station. "But no one knew where the voice was coming from."

Firefighters had to chip away at the bricks, while using liquid dish soap, to help remove the woman. They did so -- almost two hours later -- reported CBS Los Angeles.

According to the family of Nunez-Figueroa, she had dated the man who owned the residence. The owner, who wasn't home, confirmed to the station that he knew the woman.

In fact, it wasn't the first time she had attempted to break into the house, he said.

"It's actually the second attempt for her trying to access the inside of my house...from the roof," Lawrence, who did not want his last name used, told the station.

How was he feeling after the whole ordeal?

"I'm feeling better, not so weirded out anymore that that person isn't in my chimney anymore," he told the station. "Trying to figure out what I'm going to do with my chimney since it's in pieces but better my chimney than probably me."

He and Nunez-Figueroa met online, he says.

"Which just goes to show you," he said, "You have to be careful who you meet online."

The woman was later arrested and faces charges of illegal entry, reports CBS Los Angeles.