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Law enforcement sources say the man jumped over the back wall at Halle's home right around 11PM Monday night. This time her private security -- off-duty police officers -- were watching the suspect on a security camera as he entered the grounds.

They quickly nabbed the guy and called LAPD officers to the scene -- who arrested and booked him on suspicion of felony stalking.

We're told police believe this is the same man Halle spotted in her backyard Saturday and Sunday ... prompting an all out search for the suspect.

UPDATE: The man has been identified as 27-year-old Richard Franco.

Sources connected with production tell TMZ, the network is serious this time: if another cast member tries to walk off the show ... that person will be fired, and the remainder of his or her contract will be terminated. No exceptions.

We're told it's all a power play. With two cast members nearly jumping ship in the same week, MTV wants to reassert some authority ... and show the cast who's boss once and for all.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Halle was in her kitchen yesterday when she looked out the window and saw a man staring at her ... holding some sort of book.

Halle ran to the phone, called 911 and the chase began. An LAPD helicopter circled Halle's home and the area nearby for nearly half an hour, trying in vain to locate the trespasser. A number of officers in squad cars were on the hunt as well.

Sources say the suspect is the same guy who jumped Halle's security wall on Saturday, triggering the first 911 call.

Law enforcement believes the suspect is an obsessed fan, possibly hell-bent on getting Halle's autograph ... but they haven't ruled out a renegade paparazzo.

Jimmy Whittemore (above) was busted early Sunday morning after police say he kicked in the theater's glass doors, trashed the box office and lobby, turned over garbage cans and knocked over velvet rope stands. He also allegedly trashed pictures, fans, telephones, and printers among other property.

The Letterman stage is padlocked so Whittemore couldn't get inside.

Whittemore was hospitalized briefly after his arrest for a cut on his head and was later charged with burglary and criminal mischief.

Cops say Whittemore has no direct connection to Letterman or the studio and blamed it all on alcohol.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... when they arrived on scene, the intruder was gone. We're told three cars -- and even a helicopter -- showed up to investigate.

As TMZ reported Saturday night, Vinny and the cast went to dinner and a club last night, in an effort to heal the deep psychological wounds between them -- and apparently it worked. Vinny was spotted as he made his way into the house (above) ... carrying a bag of laundry.

We broke the story ... Vinny stormed out of the house a week ago and returned to his home on Staten Island, vowing never to return to the show.

What's interesting ... at the time he left the cast, crew and producers were happy about it -- or at least they said they were -- because he was a pain in the ass.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... a man jumped her privacy wall and was lurking in the front yard of her home, when she spotted the guy. Several people in the house ran outside, but the guy scaled the wall and fled.

Halle called police, the LAPD arrived at the scene and they're investigating

TMZ broke the story last weekend that Vinny was burned out with the show and left for good -- returning to his home in Staten Island.

Although almost everyone affiliated with the show was none-too-sad to see him leave, apparently some have had a change of heart. We're told the cast is actually going to lobby tonight for Vinny to return.

They plan on going clubbing after dinner -- so assuming no one gets knocked out ... it could be the rapprochement that makes for a decent storyline.

The network wouldn't specify the exact reason for Evel Dick's departure.

Dick -- who won the $500,000 grand prize on "Big Brother" Season 8 -- was invited back on the show this season, along with his estranged daughter Daniele.

Daniele will continue to participate in the show -- and because of Evel Dick's departure, she was given a "golden key" ... which guarantees she can not be eliminated in the next 4 weeks.

TMZ obtained a statement from Richard Wolfe, Mike's lawyer, who says Gotham Management's suit "is filled with lies and falsities." Wolfe says Gotham, which is suing for $1 million in commissions, "did MORE HARM than good to Michael and his career."

The one thing the Situation and Gotham agree on is that Sitch is famous. Gotham claims in its suit it made him famous, and Wolfe says Mike's brother Marc Sorrentino "works tirelessly to build the brand that is Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino."

The company behind the lawsuit is P22 Type Foundry -- which claims they own the copyright to the Cezanne Regular font (seen above) ... which, apparently, is a very wizardy-looking typeface.

According to the lawsuit, filed Tuesday in federal court in NY, P22 claims the font was splashed all over Potter t-shirts, hats, pins bags and more -- but no one associated with the merchandise ever got permission to use the font for commercial purposes.

Now, P22 is going after NBCUniversal -- the company that owns the theme park --as well as the merchandise manufacturers ... demanding at least $1.5 MILLION in damages.

We were unable to get a comment from NBCUniversal.

A rep for ABC says 23-year-old Smart could be on the air within the next few weeks.

Mr. Sitch was strolling through Jersey yesterday, with a gaggle of chicks following behind him, when a photog asked, "Mike, are you splitting from the show or what bro?"

He didn't exactly deny it ... and when the photog wished him "luck" -- Mike replied, "I don't need luck ... I don't need it."

Sources tell TMZ ... The Situation has been antsy lately ... telling producers he doesn't need the show.

We're told he actually WALKED OUT of the house alone yesterday after expressing his frustration with the show ... but he's back in the house.

The whole ordeal started when Guy's sister Morgan died of cancer back in February -- landing her 11-year old son, Jules, square in the middle of a custody battle between Morgan's parents and the boy's father.

According to a petition for guardianship -- filed by Jules' grandparents -- they claimed the father, Dain Pape, should not get custody because he is "living out of his motor home," and has no income.

But last week , a Marin County judge sided with Pape ... ruling he should have custody -- and the grandparents should hand over Jules.

But since then Pape tells us ... Jules has been vacationing with his uncle Guy on a remote lake in Northern California -- with NO phone service -- and as a result he's been unable to take custody.

Pape says he hasn't driven to the lake because he wants to avoid a confrontation with the family. He simply wants the grandparents to comply with the court order.

We reached out to Guy's reps, but so far ... no response.

The L.A. City Attorney tells TMZ ... Dourdan was also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.

Initially, cops believed Dourdan was in possession of ecstasy during the incident ... but it appears the pills were later ID'd as oxycontin -- a prescription painkiller also known as "hillbilly heroin."

As for the vehicular destruction Dourdan allegedly caused that morning ... he won't face criminal charges for that ... it's the insurance company's problem.

If convicted on all charges, Gary faces up to a year in jail.