PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — A suspect is in custody following a string of break-ins in Palm Beach Gardens.
Joshua Denny, 33, is accused of burglarizing homes while the victims were inside.
The break-ins not only came with people inside the home but also during the day in the Cedar Gardens neighborhood, located just across the street from the Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center.
One of the burglaries occurred Friday morning at about 11:30 a.m. when Erin Landry and her 7-year-old daughter were playing in the living room.
"All of a sudden, I heard a really big crashing noise next to my dining room," Landry said.
After realizing someone was breaking in, she not only shouted out but rushed upstairs with her young daughter. She locked themselves inside a room and called the police.
"I was shaking. I felt violated," Landry said. "I just wanted to make sure I was OK, that my little girl was OK, and my little dog was OK I just wanted to get them to safety."
Within minutes, officers were at her home but the person responsible had already run away empty-handed. She said the home invader came in through her unlocked patio door and used her own vase to break in.
"He had to go around this really big pool that he broke," Landry said. "Then he came over to the back and he just started slamming the vase, breaking the entire glass."
Her sliding glass door was destroyed and her sense of security was also broken.
"I never thought I could be home alone with my daughter with locked doors and someone would be able to come through the glass," Landry said.
Police later caught Denny after they say burglarized another home and car nearby.
Landry now has a word of warning for her neighbors.
"If there's anything in your backyard head your slider if it’s heavy enough somebody can pick it up and smash it right through your door just be aware of the things you have because they can use those things against you," Landry said.
She said she has since bought security cameras for her home and said she'll be locking her patio door to prevent another crime. Denny remains in jail on a $90,000 bond.
If you end up in a situation where someone is breaking into your home, police recommend that you immediately find a safe location or a room. Then you should lock the door, silence your cellphone and call police.
If you can't call, you can also text 911 and let them know what's happening.
"Texting 911 will help us," Palm Beach Gardens police Sgt. Jeneve Labossiere said. "We will definitely get there right away give us your address right away because the quicker you get in contact with us the quicker we can get there and help you out."
Police also stressed the importance of being aware of your surroundings at all times. If you see something suspicious don’t hesitate to report it.
