Florida Self-Defense: Homeowner catches burglar in the act. He holds him at gunpoint, cops say :: 10/12/2019

A Manatee County homeowner caught a burglar in the act and held him at gunpoint until sheriff’s deputies arrived to take him into custody, according to an arrest report.

Deputies say Joseph Scott entered the homeowner’s garage in the 25000 block of State Road 64 East and was caught rummaging through shelves just before 10 p.m. Wednesday.

According to the report, the homeowner’s son spotted a “strange green bicycle and a red back pack,” near the garage and alerted his father.

Deputies say the homeowner grabbed his gun and found Scott inside the garage and ordered him to stay still. The homeowner asked Scott what he was doing and Scott pointed to a pile of wood he had been taking from the garage and placing outside, according to the report.

The homeowner said Scott wasn’t making a lot of sense as he tried to question him further so he continued to hold him at gunpoint until deputies arrived.

Scott was booked into the Manatee County jail on a felony burglary charge and remains in custody pending a future court date.

Breaking News/Real Time Reporter Mark Young began his career in 1996 and has been with the Bradenton Herald since 2014. He has won more than a dozen awards over the years, including the coveted Lucy Morgan Award for In-Depth Reporting from the Florida Press Club and for beat reporting from the Society for Professional Journalists to name a few. His reporting experience is as diverse as the communities he covers.

https://www.bradenton.com/news/local/crime/article236027643.html