Story by Jamie Nash, Photos by Scott Engle
PORTER – Around 8 p.m. Wednesday evening, Montgomery County Pct. 4 Deputy Constables responded to a report of a burglary in progress at a home on Gould Chambers Road in Porter. They met with the homeowner who said she heard movement and loud crashing type sounds that seemed to be coming from a building on her property. Upon further investigation, she heard what she believed to be someone walking inside the shed that had been converted to living quarters. The resident was not home and when she called him she learned nobody else was supposed to be in the converted shed. The panicked woman checked for her hidden extra house key and discovered it was missing.
One of the deputies managed to get the door open and make entry, where he and the other deputy could see things were out of place. The second deputy looked up and saw an adult male, Jerry Crawford, hiding in the rafters of the ceiling and covering his face. Crawford ignored repeated orders to come down and keep his hands visible. Finally, one of the deputies climbed up and forced the man down. The homeowner did not recognize him, and the shed’s tenant said he did not know the man either. The missing spare key was found inside the man’s pocket, but he had no explanation for why he had it. Crawford claimed a man he met earlier the same day, whose name was also unknown to the residents, dropped him off and told him he could sleep there but had to sleep in the rafters so the man’s mother would not get angry. Crawford said he was drunk and simply looking for somewhere to sleep. Deputies took him into custody anyway.
The male resident later returned home and found multiple items, including tools and cooper wire, were placed on his 4-wheeler as though the suspect plan to steal it and use it to transport other stolen items.
Crawford has a local criminal history of trespassing and burglary.
Jerry Douglas Crawford, 41, of New Caney is charged with second-degree felony Burglary of a Habitation.
It was happened to be Crawford’s birthday. It is unknown whether that was what prompted his game of hide and seek…
