A 37-year-old Joshua Tree, California, man was accused of planning to rob a nearby home. The suspect is alleged to have donned a disguise that included women’s clothing, a mask and a samurai sword then proceeded to walk 150 yards to a home where he set off a motion alarm. The man allegedly fled the scene of the would-be theft when the homeowner confronted him with a shotgun, firing a warning shot into the air.
The homeowner was said to have been suspicious after eight previous burglaries. When the motion-sensitive alarm was set off, he decided to confront the person with a loaded shotgun. The homeowner stated that when he fired a warning shot, the man fled, losing his shoes in the process.
Deputies later found the alleged burglar at his home with injuries to his feet consistent with cactus cuts and arrested him. They also found property that allegedly belonged to the homeowner who had been robbed.
Burglary and robbery charges can result in long prison sentences and heavy fines. Both can be felonies depending on the circumstances of the incident; felonies are crimes that usually result in jail time and fines of up to tens of thousands of dollars. California residents charged with these crimes, as well as those charged with lesser offenses, may benefit from consulting with a criminal defense attorney. An attorney may be able to help the accused in answering the charges or negotiating a plea to lesser offenses that will result in less jail time and lower fines.
Source: Fresno Bee, “CA theft suspect had sword, mask, women’s clothes,” March 19, 2013