Man charged with breaking into Jennifer Aniston's home

LOS ANGELES - A man accused of breaking into actress Jennifer Aniston's home pleaded innocent to burglary and other charges on Monday.

Prosecutors say David Hesterbey took a cab ride last week from the Santa Barbara area, about two hours north of Los Angeles, to Malibu, where he vaulted a 2.7m fence and entered the Friends star's house.

One of Aniston's employees confronted Hesterbey, who fled when another employee came in, prosecutors said. The 36-year-old actress was not at home at the time.

Hesterbey, 48, who was arrested not far from Aniston's home, was charged with first degree burglary and petty theft.

"The petty theft charge is a result of him taking a cab and stiffing the cab driver," Los Angeles County District Attorney's spokeswoman Jane Robison said. "He took a cab from Santa Barbara to Malibu and then didn't pay."

Hesterbey, 48, has a prior conviction for burglary and was being held in lieu of US$70,000 ($102,204) bail. He faces up to six years in state prison if convicted.

- REUTERS