Police Make Arrest After Alert Resident Notices Possible Burglar

An alert Hamilton resident helped police capture a suspected burglar Tuesday after that resident spotted a suspicious man enter a neighbor’s yard.

Hamilton police said a Forest Street neighborhood resident saw a man jump a fence into a side yard and attempt to enter a home at about 9 a.m. on Tuesday, July 21. The resident called police setting off a multi-agency hunt that led to an arrest.

Officers from Hamilton, Wenham and Essex police departments responded to the area where they contained the suspect, Alex Amero, 24, of 9 Chestnut St. Apt. 2 in Gloucester, to a wooded area.

A second resident eventually spotted the suspect and a nearby construction crew detained him until police arrived, according to a press release from police.

“The neighbors and construction crew were really great,” Lt. Scott Janes said.

K-9 units from the Massachusetts State Police and Essex County Sheriff’s Department helped recover additional evidence. The Massachusetts State Police Air wing was also involved in the search.

Amero has been charged with breaking and entering in the daytime and possession of a Class B drug.

The incident remains under investigation.