A 66-year-old Riverside Drive resident was awakened to find a man in her house Monday morning and chased him out the door, sending him falling down her back steps.
City police report that the woman called police at 6:04 a.m. to report the incident and said that she had been alone in her house when she was awakened by a rustling noise.
The woman said that she investigated to find an unknown man in her kitchen who she chased from the room, grabbing his jacket as he fled out her kitchen door. She said that, in his flight, the intruder fell down a few of her back steps before he got up and fled.
The resident said that the man stole her wallet and provided a detailed description of the suspect.
Officer Jared Rowe was the first officer to arrive in the area and reports he observed a man wearing the clothing the woman described – a black hooded coat and a red backpack – walking across the South Middle School soccer fields.
Rowe drove around the school and accosted the suspect who he recognized from past dealings behind the Boys and Girls Club.
Rowe reports that he advised Savuth Vith, 23, of 183 Feeding Hills Road, Southwick, of his rights and reports that when he asked him where he was coming from Vith blurted out “What did she say?” before Rowe had mentioned the victim.
He then told Rowe that he had been in the woman’s house but said that he found the door open and had thought he was entering a friend’s house. He denied stealing the woman’s wallet.
Rowe saw a bulge in Vith’s clothing and performed a pat frisk to ascertain if Vith was in possession of a weapon but found the man had what appeared to be an automotive cell phone charger.
He was also found to be in possession of more than $15 in coin.
Vith, who according to Westfield News records has previously pleaded guilty to at least three charges of breaking and entering a vehicle or a boat, told Rowe that he had stolen the charger and the coin from a vehicle but said he did not remember where he had done so.
Another Riverside Drive called city police later in the day to report that her unlocked car had been entered overnight.
The woman said that she was aware of the incident at her neighbor’s house and said she wanted to report the intrusion into her vehicle even though she initially stated that nothing had been stolen. She said that she heard her dog barking between 5-6 a.m. but didn’t check her car until about 6:30 a.m.
Det. Sgt. Ray Manos subsequently reported that the woman later found that a charging cord and coin totaling $15.80 had been stolen from the unlocked car which had been parked in her driveway.
Officer Chris Coach arrived to assist and, while Rowe was speaking with Vith, retraced Vith’s footsteps which were visible in the grass to find the woman’s wallet near Vith’s track.
Vith then admitted he had stolen it but said that he had thought it belonged to the friend whose house he thought he had entered.
Officer Francis Gaulin was asked to bring the victim to the scene and did so. The woman positively identified Vith as the man she had found in her home.
Vith was arrested for breaking and entering in the day time for a felony while putting a person in fear. He was also charged with larceny from a building.
Vith was arraigned in Westfield District Court Tuesday where he was held pending a hearing later today.
