Thursday afternoon, the Clovis Police SWAT Team surrounded a home near Ash Ave. and San Jose Ave. That's where an armed burglar was believed to be hiding out.
“It's not what I would expect for a Clovis Thanksgiving Day,” said Susan Bury, a neighbor.
A homeowner dialed 911 after seeing a man in his neighbor's backyard trying to break in. The witness claims the suspect even fired a bullet in his direction before disappearing. The neighbor told police the suspect may have driven away, but police did not want to take any chances. Officers launched a robot inside the home, searching room by room for the suspect. Then after 4 ½ hours, the operation concluded with no one being found inside.
“What they did find in the house was an array of firearms, several firearms on a bed. That may be something the suspect or suspects were looking for,” said Janet Stoll-Lee of the Clovis Police Dept.
Jarrod Mohr, who lives down the street, is upset the cops didn't catch the would-be burglar.
“Man this schmuck is out there running around doing whatever he wants. C'mon,” said Jarrod Mohr.
Susan Bury applauds her neighbor for being alert and breaking up this burglary.
“I think everybody needs to do more of that. I think if people would speak up a little more often, people wouldn't get away with so much,” said Bury.
Police tell us they recovered the suspect's handgun, which was lying in the backyard.
