Fairfax Man Hospitalized, Arrested After Failed Burglary: Police

MARIN COUNTY, CA -- A Fairfax man was taken in custody and then hospitalized after allegedly burglarizing two homes in Corte Madera Wednesday afternoon, according to the Central Marin Police Authority.

It all began at 1:10 p.m. Wednesday, May 22 when Central Marin Police received a report of an interrupted burglary at a home on Prince Royal Passage. A young teen girl who was home alone and heard noise in another part of the house, went to investigate and surprised the suspect, who fled, according to police.

The girl ran to a neighboring home, called 911 and provided a suspect description.

While officers were searching the area, a resident on Key Largo Course reported that a young man came to her door and asked to borrow a ladder. He told her that he lived next door and needed to get into his house. She gave him the ladder and saw him climb in a window, but she was suspicious and called 911.

The description she gave matched the suspect from the earlier call and the two homes are in the same neighborhood. Officers surrounded the house and could see the suspect inside and hear glass breaking. The suspect refused orders to come out and jumped through a plate glass window, landing in the front yard, police say.

After a brief struggle he was taken into custody. The suspect, identified as Benjamin Michael Gerzevitz, 20, of Fairfax, received injuries from the glass and was taken by paramedics to Marin General Hospital. Two officers who received minor abrasions were treated at the scene.

Gerzevitz was treated at the hospital and later taken to Marin County Jail and booked on numerous charges, including burglary of an inhabited dwelling, residential burglary, grand theft, possession of stolen property and resisting arrest.