WHEELING - A Woodsdale woman confronted a would-be intruder when he attempted to kick in the door of her home around 1 p.m. Friday in what Police Chief Robert Matheny described as a "very bold" crime.
The resident reported hearing a noise while she was in the basement of her Archibald Avenue home. When she investigated, she saw a young white male, about 6 feet tall with dark hair, attempting to enter her home, Matheny said. The suspect fled the scene on foot.
The man had a bandage on one arm and was wearing a long-sleeved, red and white striped rugby-style shirt. However he had a white shirt underneath and may have discarded the outer shirt.
The resident reportedly got into her car in an attempt to follow the suspect but lost sight of him. Police said she provided officers with "good information" about the suspect.
According to Matheny, the woman immediately called police as the suspect ran off. When police learned of the incident, they notified schools in the area to "lock down."
"As a precaution, we did a lockdown at Woodsdale, Country Day and Head Start due to their proximity to the crime scene and since we had officers and K-9 working in the area," Matheny said. "We did a perimeter check of each school before we released the lockdown."
Several police units, including a K-9 unit, detectives, Deputy Chief Martin Kimball and Matheny responded to the neighborhood.
"The woman was in the basement when she heard a noise. When she went upstairs to the door, she saw the suspect trying to force entry into the residence," Matheny said. "She interrupted him, and he fled."
Matheny said police arrived in the area within minutes and searched the area without success. Detectives processed the scene and collected information.
"We cannot say at this time if this is connected to the other breaking and enterings that have been occurring across Ohio County. There is no strong evidence connecting the others, however, we contacted the sheriff's department, and they gave us some information. We have a certain level of confidence working together, and we believe we have a solid lead," Matheny added.
Matheny urges all residents to be vigilant of their surroundings and report any suspicious activity or people in their neighborhoods. He also reminds residents to keep their doors locked even when they are home.
"If you are in the backyard, make sure your front door is locked. Same goes if you are in the basement. Make sure your doors upstairs are locked," the chief said. "We don't mind checking on any concerns when the public calls. We want to catch the individual or individuals who are doing these crimes ... and working with the public, we can get this individual stopped."