Firearms Owners Against Crime
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) - Police say the way an intruder got into an Albuquerque home should serve as a warning to others.
Albuquerque Police say that burglar managed to get a garage door open from the outside, but the Foothills homeowner confronted the suspect and shot and killed him on site.
The incident is apparently in-line with a trend seen by officers, and anyone with a garage door with windows and a safety pull cord on the inside track should take note.
"We think the offender was able to use a tool to manipulate the top of the garage door to put a piece of wire in and grab the mechanism to open that garage door up," APD Officer Simon Drobik said.
The call came in around 5 a.m. to the duplex home on Avital Drive just east of Tramway, right off I-40.
Police say an alarm went off in the home after the unidentified suspect managed to get the garage door open. At that point, the homeowner shot and killed him.
The man was found dead in the driveway.
Police have yet to identify him, but say that at this point, it would appear the homeowner and suspect did not know each other.
The homeowner was questioned and released by police.
Neighbors were shaken up, but also said there's a lot of issues with people wandering into the neighborhood.
"They're drunk. They're out there. They're camped out. They're walking around the neighborhood with their backpacks. There's been a lot of mail getting stolen and stuff," neighbor Emily Pohl said.
As for this particular case, it will be sent to the District Attorney's office for review.
Police are recommending that homeowners with garages either cut that pull cord, or tie it up so criminals cannot get to it so easily.
Police could not say whether or not the suspected burglar was armed.