A parolee who spent 17 years in prison for sodomy has been arrested for allegedly breaking into area homes late at night when his victims were asleep.
Police said that Luis Vasquez, 52, allegedly committed up to five burglaries in Bensonhurst and Bay Ridge over the last month.
Particularly disturbing was that most of these burglaries took place while the victims were home. In at least one instance, the homeowner confronted Vasquez, who ran off into the night, officials alleged.
Cops nabbed Vasquez at 4 a.m. May 8 after he allegedly broke into a rear window at a home on 66th Street near 20th Avenue.
Deputy Inspector John Sprague, the commanding officer of the 62nd Precinct, said that he already had extra patrols out looking for the burglar, knowing that he would show up sooner or later.
When a witness to the burglary called 911, cops converged on the area and spotted Vasquez, dressed all in black, exiting a driveway on 67th Street, police alleged.
Vasquez ran off back into the back yards, alleged police. After a brief search, cops found him cowering under some bushes, officials said.
Sprague said that cops have connected Vasquez to at least five burglaries in the two commands.
“He definitely fits the profile and the description that had been given to us,” Sprague said, adding that the added patrols will continue in case Vasquez wasn’t acting alone. “He could be working with someone, or there could be a copy cat.”
Prosecutors had Vasquez, a resident of Bushwick, remanded to custody for burglary as well as violating his parole, which was set to end in two years.
He was released from prison in August 2008 after pleading guilty to sodomizing an acquaintance back in 1991.
Police believed that Vasquez, who fits the “guy with lots of wavy hair” description that at least one witness gave him, has been illegally entering neighborhood homes since April 4.
In each instance, he allegedly entered the home through a back window or a kitchen window – many of which have been left closed, but unlocked, police said.
Police alleged that he entered homes on both 66th Street and 19th Avenue and 73rd Street and 17th Avenue within just a few hours of each other on April 24.
When the homeowners went to investigate, Vasquez had already come and gone, taking a small amount of cash and a necklace from the 66th Street home and $1300 from the 73rd Street residence, alleged police.