Alleged Burglar Breaks Into House To Watch TV, Convinces Homeowner To Give Him A Ride

2018-12-27

A homeowner in Maine received a surprise visitor at his Waterboro home on Sunday afternoon, but it definitely wasn’t Santa.

Police in York County said the man opened the door of his house only to find an intruder watching television and wearing some of his clothes.

In addition, the trespasser also helped himself to the homeowner’s food and took a shower, according to News Center Maine.

Derek Tarbox, the 35-year-old alleged burglar, somehow convinced the homeowner that Tarbox had mistaken the home for his friend’s house.

Then Tarbox reportedly asked the homeowner to drive him to another home in Hollis.

“The (resident) thought the scenario was unusual, but plausible, so he agreed to drive the man to a house in Hollis,” York County Sheriff Bill King told the Portland Press-Herald. “He said he wanted to get the man out of his house, so he agreed to drive him ‘home.’”

When the homeowner got back home, he noticed that his back door had been forced open and there were various items missing, according to the Bangor Daily News.

“When he returned home and inspected his house further to found his back door had been forced open, food missing from his refrigerator, and other signs of the house being ransacked,” King told the Journal Tribune.

Deputies soon learned from Maine State Police that Tarbox had allegedly stolen a vehicle in Portland and then ran out of gas in Hollis.

He later stole another vehicle and drove it until he crashed it in the woods.

“He then walked to the caller’s home, broke in through the rear door, had a bite to eat, showered and watched a little television before being confronted by the rightful tenant of the property,” King told the Journal Tribune.

A tip from one of Tarbox’s relatives led investigators to him, and authorities arrested him without incident.

He was reportedly still wearing clothes that belonged to the homeowner whose house he’s accused of burglarizing.

Tarbox was scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday for multiples charges including burglary, two counts of unauthorized use of property, leaving the scene of a property damage accident and theft by unauthorized taking.

• 2018-12-27
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