Nutley Homeowner Takes Law Into Own Hands, Grabs Trespasser: Police

NUTLEY, NJ — A Nutley homeowner took the law into his own hands last week, grabbing and detaining a Garfield man that he suspected of burglary until police arrived, authorities say.

According to the Nutley Police Department, officers responded to a Brookfield Avenue home on Sept. 10 after receiving a report from a resident who claimed he was detaining a man he caught trespassing on his property. On arrival at the scene, officers found the homeowner holding Angel Perez, 24, of Garfield, who was found to be in possession of “tools consistent with committing burglaries.”

The homeowner told police that he arrived home and saw Perez hiding in his bushes. When detectives attempted to interview Perez on site he refused to talk and asked for a lawyer, police said.

Authorities charged Perez with possession of burglary tools and trespassing and held him on $2,500 bail.