WESTFIELD – A city man was arrested early Sunday morning because a resident paid attention to his barking dog and got involved when he saw something suspicious at a neighbor’s house.
City police report that a call was received at 2:22 a.m. Sunday from a Montgomery Street resident who said that his neighbor was away but reported that someone appeared to be breaking into the neighbor’s garage.
Officer John Parrish was the first to arrive at the Montgomery Street house and was supported a few minutes later by Officer Joel Christofori
Parrish reports that the caller said that when he heard his dog barking he looked out and saw a male party going into his neighbor’s garage which he considered to be suspicious since he knew his neighbor was not at home.
The witness said that, after calling police, he went out and confronted the man who immediately sat on the ground. The suspect told the caller that he lived at the address and was waiting for friends to arrive for a party.
The caller said that the man insisted that he lived there but, when he returned to his home to get his cell phone so he could again call police, the man fled.
Officer Richard Mazza found a suspect who fit the caller’s description, subsequently identified as Anthony G. Ortona, 17, of 140 Chestnut St., on Montgomery Street and the witness was transported there where he positively identified the suspect as the man seen entering the garage.
Parrish transported the witness to the station so that he could make a formal written statement, while Mazza transported Ortona to the station for booking.
The homeowner later inspected his garage and said that nothing was taken.
Ortona was arrested for breaking and entering a building in the nighttime with intent to commit a felony was released on bail pending arraignment today in Westfield District Court.
