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Lawrence Woman, 86, Armed With Broom Calls 911 To Avert Break-In

LAWRENCE (CBS) - A week earlier, he had posed as a cable guy, but when he returned to the home of an elderly Lawrence woman Friday night, he was trying to break in.

While hiding, the 86-year-old woman called 9-1-1 as a man was trying to break into her home.

"Could you get a cop to my house? The guy's breaking in my window," the woman told dispatchers. "Oh God. Oh there, he broke the window. Oh my God!"

WBZ-TV's Jim Smith reports.

As 32-year-old Jorge Fuentes broke into the home, officers confronted the suspect and arrested him.

Lawrence Police Chief John Romero said the woman did a great job.

"(She) didn't confront the individual, which was the key, and stayed in a secure location until police arrived, and they were able to place this individual under arrest. Although when we did find her, she had the phone in one hand talking to our dispatcher, but she had a broom in the other hand, because she was prepared in the event that this individual got in," said Chief Romero.

The victim was not injured.

Fuentes, who is expected to appear in court on Monday, told police that he's not a bad guy but has a heroine problem.

Chief Romero said that anytime a utility worker shows up unannounced, it should send up a red flag.

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