Medford Man Caught At Scene Of Break-In: Police

MEDFORD, MA — A Medford man was arrested Friday after breaking into a woman's home on Intervale Avenue, police said. Officers responded to a call for a break-in around 4:45 p.m. and arrested 31-year-old Samuel Wambua, who was still in the house when police arrived.

Police said the homeowner, an elderly woman, spoke to officers and said she was sitting in the back room on the first floor of her home when she heard a window smash. She ran toward that end of the house and saw Wambua pull himself through the broken window, police said.

The woman told police she ran toward the door to flee to the neighbor's house, but Wambua put his arms around her to pull her back inside. He was not able to hold her, and she ran next door, where her neighbor called 911, police said.

"The defendant went back into the victim's house. It was quite obvious that he ran through several rooms ransacking those rooms as he looked for items to steal," Medford police said in a statement.

Wambua had lacerations on his arms from going through the broken window, police said. The officers took him into custody and recovered some jewelry that had been stolen from the house, police said.

Wambua was taken to the hospital and treated for his injuries. Once released, he was arrested and charged with breaking and entering daytime in felony, destruction of property over $1,200, assault and battery on a person over 60 and larceny.

"We have had a rash of break and entering cases in the past couple of weeks," Medford police said. "It is unknown at this time if Wambua is involved in any of those break and entering's."