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Highlands Today
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Sebring Men Confront Armed Burglar
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Published: September 9, 2008
SEBRING - An armed burglar got away Sunday night when three Sebring men confronted him in a home in the 3000 block of Maryland Avenue in the Fairmount Mobile Estates community, about 22 minutes before they dialed 911.
According to the Highlands County Sheriff's Office, one of the residents, 56, came home from a bicycle ride shortly before 8:15 p.m. when he noticed that a window in the front door was open.
He walked inside the home and went to a bedroom in the south end of the home, where he asked his 59-year-old roommate about the window, according to Sheriff's Lt. Kenny Johnson.
The 56-year-old man heard something in the north end of the mobile home. He walked up a hallway and turned a light on in a bathroom, when he saw a man dressed in dark clothing in the shadows in his bedroom. The resident went outside and called his neighbor.
That was about 8:15 p.m., the neighbor, also 56, told sheriff's investigators.
The resident and the neighbor re-entered the home. The neighbor was armed with a baseball bat when he was confronted by a masked man, about 6-feet tall, dressed in dark clothing and pointing a handgun at his chest.
Fortunately, the suspect decided to leave the mobile home. The neighbor chased him about 50 yards, said Johnson, but lost sight of him.
After the sheriff's office was called, a K-9 officer tracked the suspect to a spot on Maryland Avenue, where the scent ended.
It appeared the suspect may have gotten into a white older model mid-sized vehicle and driven off, said sheriff's Sgt. Darin Hood, who added the sheriff's Criminal Investigations Unit was investigating the incident.
"I would not recommend going back into the residence," said Johnson. "Call 911 and let the sheriff's office clear the residence as opposed to the citizens (doing it). It worked out OK as far as no one being injured.
"I would like citizens to call us first. The deputies we have are trained to handle situations like this. They have the hardware such as bulletproof vests."
If captured, the suspect could be charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and burglary of an occupied dwelling armed within and grand theft.
Johnson did not want to reveal what was stolen.
Anyone with information in this case is asked to contact the Highlands County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Unit at 402-7250 or the call Heartland Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226-TIPS (8477). Callers can remain anonymous and be eligible for a reward.
Joe Seelig can be reached at (863) 386-5834 or jseelig@highlandstoday.com .
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