An alert Esquimalt homeowner caught a suspected burglar in the middle of the act and his quick call to police led to an arrest.
Gary Davis said he woke up at 3:30 a.m. on Tuesday; his backyard motion sensor light had come on and he heard footsteps on his deck. Davis said sometimes deer venture onto the lower part of the deck but the sound was coming from the upper deck, up a flight of stairs.
Davis looked out his bedroom window and could see a man with a light looking into the living room.
“When I saw the guy, I thought ‘I’ll be quiet, call 911 and see if we can catch him,’ ” said Davis. He and his wife Nancy Davis have lived at the home for 18 years.
As Davis was on the phone with 911 dispatch, he saw the man try one of the sliding doors into the dining room. When he found that it was locked, the man walked around to the front door and knocked.
Nancy Davis, who said she was afraid the man might push the door down, yelled at the man to go away. The man knocked a second time and then left the property, walking down the street.
Within minutes, Victoria police called Davis to tell him they had made an arrest. “The police did a great job. They were very quick,” he said.
The man told the arresting officers that he was intoxicated and thought he was trying to get into his own home, Davis said.
Davis doesn’t buy the story, as several neighbours in the area have reported suspicious behaviour or break-in attempts in the area recently.
Davis said about two weeks ago, someone tried to enter their home from the basement door but was stopped by a chain latch. He reported that incident to police.
Gary and Nancy Davis both said the neighbourhood is safe and they’re glad police reacted quickly to make an arrest.
kderosa@timescolonist.com
