Saturday, May 11, at approximately 3:30 p.m., a weekend home owner in the 400 block of Bay Avenue arrived home to find her rear door had been broken into. As the homeowner left to go to the Seadrift City Hall to report it, she crossed paths with a Seadrift Police unit patrolling three blocks from her home. The homeowner spoke with Police Chief Leonard Bermea who advised the home owner Not! to go inside her home, but to wait outside while he and a second arriving Seadrift Police Officer searched and cleared the home.
As local residents were watching the commotion, Chief Bermea and Officer James Walther entered the home, one officer in front and the second from the rear. After doing a sweep and search of the ground floor, officers began searching the top floor where they spotted the exposed legs of two suspects trying to hide in a closet crawl space against the roof rafters. Both suspects were ordered out and on the floor at gunpoint as officers cuffed and arrested them.
A short time later, residents were shocked to see the Police Officers exiting the home with two suspects in handcuffs. Sheriffs Deputy Gracie Mendoza arrived on scene at that moment to assist. One female suspect was placed in Deputy Mendoza’s patrol unit and one male suspect was placed in Sgt. Walthers patrol unit. Both were transported to Calhoun County for booking and both were later transported to Victoria Juvenile Detention in Victoria Texas by Seadrift Police. Both suspects are under age 18 and were on a missing persons list.
Police officers report $4,000 to $5,000 in damage was done to the home, as the intruders broke some furniture and set a fire. It is believed they consumed the homeowners alcohol and spent one or two days in the home with windows covered, not expecting the owners to arrive.
Chief Bermea advises all homeowners and businesses to never enter a building or structure that has signs of forced entry. Always call police.
Police Officers responded and secured the scene within seconds and quick action prevented the suspects escape. A big ATTABOY to those “Seadrift Boys in Blue”!
Seadrift Police Chief Leonard Bermea
Seadrift Officer James Walther
