Man Suspected of Trying to Break Into Elderly Woman's Home Caught After Lawrence Police Carry Out Search

After about an hour of searching through woods and fields in the area, Lawrence Township police this afternoon (Wednesday, April 27) located and arrested a man who allegedly tried to break into the home of an elderly Princeton Pike resident, according to Lt. Charles Edgar, a spokesman for the township police department.

The suspect, Terrence C. Vaughn, 49, of Beechwood Avenue, Trenton, was charged with attempted burglary and also a drug-related offense after he was allegedly found in possession of drug paraphernalia, Edgar said.

Vaughn is no stranger to township police. . He was charged with attempted burglary in connection with the incident and later released.

Today’s alleged crime happened a little before noon at a home in the 3500 block of Princeton Pike.

Edgar said police believe Vaughn rang the doorbell of the home and, after no one immediately came to the door, he smashed a window in the garage in an effort to gain entry to the residence.

It was about that time that the homeowner, an elderly woman, finally came to the door and saw what was going on. She called police at 11:56 a.m. and Vaughn allegedly ran away, he said.

The woman provided police with a description of Vaughn and the blue jogging suit he was allegedly wearing.

“We received a call from the resident reporting that someone had tried to enter her house. Obviously, we sent numerous units up there. We set up a perimeter around the area and began searching the woods, along the [Delaware & Raritan] Canal, the township ecological center and even the Cherry Grove Farm property,” Edgar said.

Aiding in the search was the township police dog.

Just before 12:55 p.m. Detective Scott Caloiaro spotted Vaughn lying down amid the overgrown grass in the wooded area opposite the township’s Joseph H. Maher Jr. Ecological Center in the 3700 block of Princeton Pike, Edgar said, noting that Vaughn was taken into custody without incident.