Firearms Owners Against Crime
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
The Medford Police Department is reminding residents to secure their properties after a homeowner caught a suspect attempting to enter his Medfordhome early Thursday morning.
According to the Medford Police Department’s Lieutenant Mike Budreau, officers were called to an East Medford home around 3:30 a.m. regarding a homeowner holding a burglary suspect at gunpoint.
“We ultimately determined that the homeowners, who were a couple in their 70’s and were the only ones in the home, were asleep when they both awakened to noises outside,” Budreau said.
He explained that the male homeowner instructed his wife to call the police after he saw one of his ladders propped up on the side of his home.
“He then got dressed, obtained his handgun, and went to investigate further,” Budreau added. “He ultimately found that the suspect was still on the roof, the first story roof, he had removed a screen to one of the windows.”
Budreau said that is when the homeowner confronted the suspect and held him face down at gunpoint until officers arrived.
When they arrived at the home, they found 40 years old Phillip DeLacruz and arrested him on charges of Attempted Burglary 1 and Trespass.
Budreau added that the homeowners and DeLacruz have no connection and he does not know why DeLacruz choose their home.
“However, when we are looking at this entire incident, why did this suspect choose this home, this home is out of the way,” he explained. “This particular residence was very dark, there were no exterior lights and there were no interior lights.”
Budreau explained that his team suspects that DeLacruz chose the home because he probably thought no one was inside.
After the incident, he said officers had a discussion with the homeowners about what they can do to protect their homes.
He said some of those steps include stalling outdoor lights, using indoor timer lighting, or investing in a security system.
“We investigate enough of these to know that burglary suspects do not like light and they don’t want the risk of getting caught, it can be very simple as making your home look like there’s someone is inside the home,” he added.