Homeless Man Breaks into Garage, Shomrim Arrange Shelter

It wasn’t a gift of a pair of boots, but it was a warm place to stay for the night. After apprehending a man for breaking into a garage, Shomrim discovered that he was homeless and only sought to find a place to stay for the night. Together with police assistance shelter was arranged and most likely saving the man’s life.

The incident began when the Shomrim hotline rang at around 7:15pm, the caller said that a man had just broken into a garage behind a home belonging to a Jewish family on Empire Boulevard near Kingston Avenue. Within moments a large number of Shomrim volunteers arrived at the scene and spotted the suspect walking away from the home.

After determined what exactly had transpired Shomrim secured the cooperation of a witness as well as the homeowner before bothering to call 911. In the meantime a number of Shomrim members kept an eye on the suspect from a safe distance.

While following the man it became apparent that he was not well and appeared to be homeless.

Shomrim described the man as elderly and was walking slowly with a pronounced limp as well as wearing inadequate winter clothing and their concern changed to the health and safety of the suspect rather than the crime he allegedly committed.

While following the man he had passed by one of the Shomrim volunteers and asked him for money, making it even more obvious that the man was to be pitied.

While waiting for police to arrive another stranger handed the man some money in front of a bodega on the corner of Montgomery Street and Troy Avenue, which he promptly used to buy something which he ate huddled next to some garbage cans attempting to shield himself from the blistering wind.

When police arrived they spoke to the man and he freely admitted to breaking into the garage, but only in search of a warm place to stay. Shomrim relayed this to the homeowner who, at Shomrims encouragement, consented to having the man taken to a warm shelter rather than press charges against him.

Shomrim thanked the police for their assistance and sensitivity in the matter.