Masked, Armed Man Struggles With Woodbridge Homeowner, Cops Say

A Woodbridge resident came home to find a man, armed with a gun and wearing a ski mask, in his home, police said.

That armed man struggled with the homeowner, hit him in the chest with the gun, then fled, police said.

But officers soon found the man - later identified as Santiago Font, 54, of New Brunswick - several blocks away, according to Capt. Roy Hoppock.

Font, of Remsen Avenue, New Brunswick, was charged with robbery, burglary, possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes and three counts of theft by unlawful taking or disposition.

According to a news release from Hoppock:

Around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, police were called to a home on Pennsylvania Avenue in the Hopelawn section of town.

The victim told officers when he came home, his basement door was open, and as he walked into the house, he spotted a man wearing a ski mask, holding a handgun.

The man was also holding a bag - police later determined it contained the victim’s belongings.

The two men struggled and the man - later identified as Font -- lunged at the homeowner, hitting him in the chest with the gun.

They continued to struggle, and then Font ran away.

The victim suffered a small cut to his chest.

He gave police a description of Font and his clothing.

A detective found a handgun near the tree line of the victim’s home.

A K9 Unit from the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Department arrived and the dog picked up a scent and began tracking Font.

Several blocks away, a patrol unit spotted the New Brunswick man and realized he fit the description given by the victim, so police detained him.

In the meantime, the dog led officers to the spot where he was being held.

Font was sent to the Middlesex County Adult Corrections Center, North Brunswick, in lieu of $250,000 bail.