Homeowner Catches Suspected Burglar Red-Handed

A suspected burglar is in jail after being stopped in his tracks by a quick thinking homeowner.

Monday, August 10th 2009, 6:53 pm

By: News 9


By Kirsten McIntyre, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- A suspected burglar is in jail after being stopped in his tracks by a quick thinking homeowner.

Kathy Brown returned home Saturday afternoon to find a strange red truck in her driveway. She'd been gone less than 10 minutes after taking a friend home.

"I just can't imagine who the heck is at my house because I don't recognize the truck," Brown said.

Brown opened the truck's door and got inside the glove box, but didn't recognize the name on the registration. She then noticed a cell phone.

"So I tell my friend I'm going to call you from his cell phone tell me what his cell phone number is," Brown said.

Not knowing the number, Brown headed for her front door. But she didn't know 45-year-old Donald Madewell was inside rummaging through her home. Police said he was after her jewelry, TV and computer.

"I opened the door...He's standing right there with my garden gloves on shaking and jumping, starts running at me...I take off," Brown said.

Brown went running for a police officer she'd seen down the street. Madewell, the burglary suspect, went running for his truck.

Brown knew Madewell couldn't get away. Madewell had left his keys in the truck and Brown had taken them. By the time she arrived home, an officer was hand-cuffing Madewell.

"The only thing I think I might have done differently is take his keys and go down the street and get that cop and not walk in my house, because honestly, if he had had a gun, it might have been a different ending," Brown said.

Kathy Brown said even though she knew she was only going to be gone for a few minutes, she left her back door unlocked and that's how the thief gained entry. Brown said that's a mistake she'll never make again.

Donald Madewell, is being held without bond in the Oklahoma County jail.

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