Burglar apprehended by homeowner in Marathon

A Marathon man was charged with burglary early Saturday after he was caught inside a home on 4^th Avenue in Marathon.

The owner of the home told Deputies Vincent Torres and Shannon O’Connell he was sleeping at 6 a.m. when he heard the door to his downstairs garage open and close. He went downstairs to check and found 34 year old Jeffrey Preston in the garage, staring at his workbench.

He confronted Preston, asking what he was doing. Preston said he was “just trying to help his people”. The victim told Preston to follow him upstairs and instructed his wife to call the police.

As the victim was waiting for deputies to arrive, Preston became agitated. When deputies arrived, the victim was controlling Preston by holding him in a choke hold from behind.

Preston was arrested. When deputies asked him what he was doing in the home, he could not explain. He said he’d been drinking at the Hurricane Bar and Grill and does not know why he was inside the home on 4^th Avenue. When the deputies asked what he meant when he said he wanted to “help his people”, he could not elaborate. A search of his pockets turned up a cigarette pack with marijuana inside.

Preston was charged with burglary and possession of marijuana. He was booked into jail.