On Friday morning an 82 year old woman had to fend off a teenaged burglar. A criminal minded teenaged boy against a defenseless senior citizen - you'd say the young boy had the edge but, you'd be wrong, because you haven't met the spunky Pearl Gladden. We did today, and here's her story.
Alfonso Noble Reporting,
Pearl Gladden has lived in this home on York Street for much of her 82 years - but on Friday morning she got a surprise. She had just gone downstairs to tend her garden, but when she came back up, a neighbor told her that an intruder had slipped in. Ms. Pearl was disbelieving,
Pearl Gladden,
"It wasn't even five minutes and I ran back up and the boy said to me that somebody is in my house. He said a boy and I asked him what boy, he said a colored boy is in your house, a dark boy. And I told him no that cannot be and I called the Spanish boy who was getting ready to go to Orange Walk, I think, and we came and looked and afterwards he told me that someone is underneath that bed."
Her neighbor came over and they searched under the bed, but found nothing. Then, they searched through the house - but, again, nothing. They looked in closets, under the bed, behind doors, and in every corner but not a trace. So she locked door and called the police. They came quickly - and after a quick search concluded that he had to be hiding here - in the attic: And indeed, he had nowhere to go, because when he removed the wooden panes to try and get through the window - he saw an unwelcoming sight.
Pearl Gladden
"He let out three of the blades from the window but he couldn't get out because the boys were out there."
And, when police finally got him down - she was surprised to see her 14-year-old neighbor.
Pearl Gladden,
"He's my neighbor and I am always nice to his mother. I was kind to his mother, that's what happened."
And while she's saddened by he neighbor's bad ways - she's unafraid.
Jules Vasquez,
Were you afraid, while you were searching around the house, looking and the bed or so?
Pearl Gladden,
"No, no, no."
Jules Vasquez,
How comes?
Pearl Gladden,
"I don't know. I am a January born."
And this January's child is full of cheer - even after a household scare.
The 14 year old has been charged at the Family Court.
7NEWS produced for broadcast by News Director Jules Vasquez
Edited and Prepared for the internet by Keith Swift
