Burglar chats with homeowners before leaving
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
By Keith Phucas, Journal Register News Service
NORRISTOWN — After a burglar awakened an Upper Merion couple while snooping around in their bedroom, he sat down and chatted with them about his life before leaving the house.
Maceo Davis, 24, was convicted of criminal trespassing and loitering and prowling at night time for breaking into the couple’s South Gulph Road home on Aug. 11, 2008, according to court papers.
On Monday, the Philadelphia man, who spent nearly four months in prison, was sentenced to time served. He was given a total of three years’ probation.
Davis broke into the King of Prussia house just before dawn. As he was going through a bedside table in the bedroom, the female homeowner awoke. At first, she thought the man opening the table drawer was her husband.
“He was rifling through the night stand,” said Assistant District Attorney Anthony Gil, who prosecuted the case.
But the most remarkable thing was yet to come. Once the couple became aware he was an intruder and confronted him, he sat down at the foot of the bed and talked to them about himself and gained their sympathy.
“The defendant’s actions were bizarre,” Gil said. “Because after breaking into the house, he had a calm, lucid conversation with the homeowners.”
While sitting on the bed, Davis apologized and claimed he was in the wrong house and said his car broke down on the Schuylkill Expressway — which turned out to be true.
Eventually, the husband ushered the man to the front door and the intruder left the house. It was 6 a.m. The homeowner immediately reported the intrusion to police.
The defendant had gotten into the house by removing a window screen in the kitchen and climbing in, authorities said. While doing so, his wallet became wedged in the window frame, and the homeowners discovered the man’s name after finding his Pennsylvania driver’s license.
Later, when shown a photo lineup, the couple positively identified Davis as the man they caught in their room.
On Aug. 12, 2008, Upper Merion police Detective Paul Bradbury interviewed Davis, and after reading him his Miranda rights, the man admitted breaking into the home to use the phone after his vehicle became disabled.
At the defendant’s bench trial on June 1, Gil said, the couple forgave the burglar and were concerned that he get help.
URL:
Burglar chats with homeowners before leaving - The Pottstown Mercury (pottsmerc.com)
© 2009 pottsmerc.com, a Journal Register Property
LinkBack URL
About LinkBacks
Reply With Quote
