Not in our Neighborhood
mikel...@verizon.net
10th Avenue in northwest Gulfport. The resident was home at the time,
and when he saw Omelia trying to come in the bathroom window, he
confronted Omelia, who ran away down the alley.
An alert neighbor saw Omelia acting suspiciously, and he took it upon
himself to intervene. Craig Edwards, 37, a broker for Buccaneer
Mortgage, followed on his bicycle as the burglar fled through the
neighborhood. Edwards caught Omelia and was able to detain him until
police arrived.
When Omelia was taken into custody, police found that he had marijuana
and cocaine in his possession. He also had property that may have
been taken in other burglaries; police are investigating that
possibility.
The victim and the suspect in this case do not know eachother, and the
circumstances suggest that Omelia was simply looking for an
opportunity rather than targeting a specific location.
Although the victim and the officers are very appreciative of Mr.
Edwards' assistance, police want to emphasize the danger involved. A
burglar could be armed and have more serious intentions than just
taking property. A safer approach for a witness would be to follow at
a distance and call 911 from a cell phone.