Black plastic sheeting covers a second floor window which was smashed out when an intruder broke into a Chapel Street house Saturday morning. (Photo by Carl E. Hartdegen)
WESTFIELD – A city woman barricaded herself in her bedroom Saturday morning after she heard noises of somebody moving inside her Chapel Street apartment.
City police report the resident’s son called at 7:16 a.m. to report that his mother had sent him a text message to tell him that somebody was inside her home.
An emergency dispatcher was able to call the resident who said that she had been in the bathroom when he heard banging and sounds of glass breaking so she took refuge in her bedroom.
The woman said that the male party was in her pantry.
Officer Francis Gaulin reports that the responding officers found a man party hiding in a spare bedroom and took him into custody.
There were no signs of forcible entry to the woman’s first floor apartment but the officers eventually found that a second floor bathroom window, which faces a porch accessible from the first floor, had been smashed out. Entry was gained to the first floor apartment via an unlocked door.
The intruder was identified as Robert Hatcher, 49, of 165 Elm Street. Gaulin reports that he was unknown to both the first and second floor residents.
Hatcher was found to be the subject of warrants issued in Connecticut.
He was arrested on two charges of breaking and entering a building in the daytime with intent to commit a felony and on the Connecticut warrants.
Court officials said that he also has a pending warrant issued by Chicopee District Court.
Hatcher was arraigned Monday in Westfield District Court before Judge Philip A. Contant and was held in lieu of $10,000 cash bail pending a Dec. 12 hearing.
