Woman locks herself in bedroom to avoid burglar in Glastonbury

GLASTONBURY, CT (WFSB) - A man was arrested for burglarizing a Glastonbury home while a victim locked herself in a bedroom.

Police identified the suspect as 28-year-old William Vanderpoel.

They said a woman on Williams Street East was awakened around 12:10 a.m. Sunday by her barking dog.

The woman reported seeing a burglar in her home, so she locked herself in her bedroom and dialed 911.

“The suspect was gone upon officers’ arrival, but the victim was able to provide a description,” Glastonbury police said in a news release.

Glastonbury officers, with help from a Connecticut State Police K9 unit, quickly located the suspect nearby.

“The suspect was in possession of property that had been stolen from the victim’s house as well as property found to have been stolen from vehicles in the area,” police said.

“Usually I’ll hear the dog bark cause it wakes me up. Luckily it woke her up. Thank goodness,” said Jim Tisdale, the victim’s neighbor. “I’ll have to call her up and find out how she’s doing.”

Vanderpoel has no ties to Connecticut. He’s from Massachusetts. The court said he’s homeless.

He has been arrested in Colorado, Texas and Georgia.

“The burglary one is extremely serious it is a 20-year felony. And you broke into a home allegedly where there’s a person inside,” the judge said.

Vanderpoel, whom police said didn’t have a home address, was charged with first-degree burglary, third-degree burglary, fifth-degree larceny, and sixth-degree larceny. He was held on a $225,000 bond.

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