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HOMEOWNER CATCHES SUSPECT
Police Say Homeowner Held Suspected Burglar At Gunpoint Until Officers Arrived

Reported by: Send eMail Tiersa Davis
Web Producer: Jeff Morris
Also Contributing: Darrah Wilcox
Reported: Jan. 31, 2013 11:07 AM EST
Updated: Feb. 1, 2013 12:52 PM EST

EYEWITNESS ONLINE WEBCAST VIDEO
C L I C K   T O   P L A Y
Huntington , Cabell County , West Virginia

Gary Garrett came home to his house on 23rd Street Tuesday night to find the door open, and he knew something was wrong.

"I wasn't calm, but I wanted to keep control of the situation," said Garrett.

He's retired from the military, and has a permit to carry a gun, so he took it out as a precaution. When he got to his office area, he was glad he did. "I reached up and felt for the swing arm lamp on the desk, and turned it on, and there he was."

"He" was 37-year-old John Allen Bryan, who was crouching in the floor. Garrett said he held the gun to him, and used his ham radio to reach his brother, who called for help.

"I'm glad that I caught him so that he couldn't get away, and he was arrested, because he needs to be arrested."

As police took Bryan into custody, Garrett took a look around the house. He said, "All the kitchen cabinets were standing open. Stuff was pulled out and scattered everywhere."
Most of his valuables, including a television, digital camera, iPod, jewelry, guitars, tools and knives were taken from their original places. So were some more unusual items, like a bag of oranges from the kitchen and a box of egg rolls out of the freezer.

Luckily, all but one tool was recovered, and no one was hurt in the incident.

Bryan is facing a burglary charge.


< hr>

Police said a burglar in Huntington received a surprise when the homeowner caught him in the act and then held him at gunpoint until officers arrived.

John Allen Bryan, 37, of Huntington was charged with burglary. Police responded to a home in the 100 block of 23rd Street at 11 p.m. on Tuesday to discover the victim holding the suspect at gunpoint, according to a criminal complaint filed in Cabell County Magistrate Court. The victim told police he came home to find the front door of his home wide open and the suspect going through his things, the complaint said. Police said the homeowner held the suspect at gunpoint until police arrived.

The homeowner reportedly recovered all of his belongings except for a tool from the garage, the complaint said. The garage also had been broken into, police said.

Bryan was released from the Western Regional Jail on bond.



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