On at least two occasions in recent days, local residents have confronted unwanted guests in their homes in Batavia.
In one case, a suspect was arrested, but in the other, where items were actually stolen, the case remains under investigation.
In the case where an arrest was made, the break-in was reported on The Batavian as it happened and police soon took 53-year-old Stacey Williams into custody. Williams is charged with criminal trespass.
He is accused of attempting to enter the Washington Avenue home of Rich Richmond, a candidate for City Council.
The second case we heard about from the resident who had her wallet stolen.
The woman and her husband became aware of the intruder and her husband was able to tackle him, she said, but then he got loose. Her husband chased him in his car, but lost him on Jackson Street. He came across three Batavia PD patrol vehicles on Jackson, but the woman isn't aware what the police did from that point.
Chief Shawn Heubusch said that case is under investigation, but no arrest has been made.
The woman said the suspect matches the description in the Washington Avenue case, but Heubusch said investigators don't believe at this time that the cases are related.
The woman said her home was broken into about 4:30 a.m., Wednesday.
"I live on the Southside of town and I would like for my friends and neighbors who live on that side to just be aware," the woman said. "This guy obviously had to be hyped on drugs as he walked right past my husband laying on the couch and walked right through the kitchen, which had lights on, to my dining room, where my purse was located, and our bedroom was off to the side from that -- a very bold individual and we don’t know if he is still out there or not."
Heubusch said he is unaware of any similar criminal complaints in the past few days.
I was home sitting in my
I was home sitting in my living room. My wife, Cindy was in our kitchen canning tomatoes. I heard my Border collie Patsy barking and my wife holler to me and I rushed to the kitchen. By that time my wife was standing on the back porch. Cindy and Patsy were on top of it. I arrived too late to be of any real help; except to hug and kiss my wife and pet my dog.
We believe Williams opened the screen door and then the main wood door and attempted to enter our premises unlawfully with larcenous intent. Before he could enter the kitchen; my Border collie’s barking and my wife’s scream scared him off. My wife made me laugh when she described how he made a getaway on his bicycle and was peddling like mad South on Dellinger.
My wife of 37 years is the real hero here because she kept her cool throughout the whole thing. Patsy played a big part and was rewarded with two big hamburgers and my son bought her a new rubber squeak toy; a purple pig with pink poke-a-dots.
Our Batavia Police did an outstanding job! Williams was apprehended shortly after and was transported to the Batavia Police Department where he was detained for questioning.
We went to the Police Department and my wife Cynthia gave a signed statement and I found out after Williams is on parole.
We do have a big crime problem in the City and this is one example of what’s happening in the Third Ward. It is one the major reasons I’m running for Council. We only hear about the crimes that are reported and not the ones that aren’t. Much crime goes unreported for fear of reprisal or people are afraid to get involved.
We must all do our part and look out for one another and we are fortunate to have volunteer citizen organizations with extra sets of eyes such as Bea McManis’s Neighborhood Watch.
Did you know he just got his
Did you know he just got his first vaccine and it made him Autistic? Aren't you ashamed now?
This is just another failure
This is just another failure of the parole system in N.Y.S.
Another parolee raped a teen girl in broad daylight at the Liberty Pole in downtown Rochester. He had only been out on parole 3 days. He's now going back to prison to serve a 70 to life sentence.
Then there's the parolee who shot and killed R.P.D. Officer Daryl Pierson. He had been paroled less then 7 days when he committed this murder.
When will N.Y.S. get a clue?
I don`t know about the
I don`t know about the neighborhood watch site doing much more than being a gossip page in which you are banned for speaking your opinion if you don`t agree with the people running it!