Newton homeowner comes face-to-face with thief

NEWTON, Mass. -- Police are searching for a suspect who broke into a Newton home before taking off with the homeowner’s car.

Police say the 38-year-old homeowner was on the third floor when the suspect broke into his Jackson Street home. When he heard a noise and went downstairs to investigate, he found the suspect in his bedroom.

Authorities say the suspect reached for his waistband as though reaching for a weapon, but no gun was shown.

The suspect took off with the homeowner’s silver Volvo sedan, and although the car was recovered overnight Monday, the suspect was still at large.

“I’m still a little shaky about what happened. I wasn’t expecting this,” said Fernando, the homeowner.

Fernando said an intruder was the last thing he’d ever expect to find in his bedroom.

“I was like, ‘I don’t remember calling anyone to fix anything or do a project, or anything. It took me a couple of seconds to realize that he was a thief,” he said. “The guy could have shot me, or stabbed me or something. I didn’t confront him. He reached for his belt like he had something, I don’t know if he did or not.”

Fernando and his wife Vanessa said they think someone had been casing their home: just days earlier, they say their other car was ransacked.

“Two days later, another car was stolen and you’re accosted in your own home,” said Vanessa. “I don’t even want to sleep tonight. I don’t want to be here. If it can happen in the middle of the day when you’re home, you could wake up to a gun in your face.”

“I don’t think he’s going to come back, but I don’t want to take my chances. I am going to take measures today,” said Fernando.

Police said the suspect could be connected to other break-ins in Brookline and Boston.

(Copyright (c) 2011 Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)