Soon afterward, officers allegedly spotted the man at 55 Dwight St., in a confrontation with the resident of that home. The resident told police that the suspect had broken into his home and told him, “I’m not going to hurt you. I’m trying to get away from the police.’’
The resident tried to leave his apartment, but the suspect pushed him and made his way through the apartment to the front door, according to a police report on the incident. The resident was able to make it outside and call police.
Officers who were called to another location near 55 Dwight St. talked to a third victim, who said he discovered the suspect attempting to enter his residence. He said the suspect pushed his way into the apartment and told him, “I’m not going to hurt you but the police are chasing me and I need to get on your roof.’’
The resident told police he directed the suspect toward a skylight and watched him flee through it onto the roof.
Police said officers then spotted the suspect moving from rooftop to rooftop, attempting to gain entry to several additional apartments by banging on third-floor windows.
Authorities said the suspect finally got inside an apartment at 29 Dwight St., which was unoccupied.
Officers surrounded the apartment and the suspect refused to come out, police said.
A K-9 unit was called in to assist. Police called the suspect on the phone inside the apartment. He offered to surrender.
“I have a drug problem,’’ the suspect told police, according to the police report. “Please don’t send the police dog in here with me. I’ll give up peacefully.’’
Officers arrested Stanley Zalewski, 27, of Boston without a struggle. Zalewski was charged with breaking and entering, home invasion, willful and malicious destruction of property, and kidnapping, a charge stemming from his alleged attempt to detain one resident in his home.
Zalewski is slated to be arraigned in Boston Municipal Court today.
“Any time an intruder enters a home, the situation created for those inside is certainly an unsettling and unsafe one,’’ said Boston police Officer James Kenneally, a department spokesman. “That said, the victims in this case displayed incredible amounts of courage and cool in not only confronting the suspect but also assisting officers by calling 911 as quickly as they did.’’
“The decision to run from or fight police officers is never a well-conceived one,’’ Kenneally said. “When a suspect runs or fights, people often get hurt. If the suspect in this case gets credit for anything, it was knowing when to give up.’’
