BOSTON — Neighbors in Boston’s South End are demanding answers from the city after Boston 25 News’ exclusive report about an intruder who broke into a family’s condo while they were out of town.
Boston 25 News first reported the troubling details on Wednesday.
The suspect, identified by police as Katie Mearn, is accused of taking a bath, showering, sleeping, eating, and stealing thousands of dollars’ worth of belongings, including an engagement ring, from a home on Worcester Square on Saturday.
Boston Police confirmed Mearn had been arrested and released on personal recognizance the previous day after allegedly attempting to kick in a back door on East Springfield Street.
Neighbors now tell Boston 25 News that she allegedly broke into that home too and got comfortable, even watching Netflix.
They said a resident caught her on a neighboring porch after getting locked out on the back patio.
“It’s just the next step of lawlessness. People have been allowed to do whatever they want in the neighborhood,” said a man who lives upstairs from Friday’s break-in.
Neighbors referred to the two break-ins as “outrageous”, “reckless”, and “bold”.
“That’s the troubling aspect of this. They all seem to be very comfortable with intruding on our lives,” said John Stillwagon, Co-President of the Worcester Square Area Neighborhood Association. “It’s no longer just an addict crisis. It’s 100 percent a public safety crisis.”
A spokesperson for the City of Boston addressed the situation to Boston 25, calling the incident “a horrible situation,” and also saying that Boston police have arrested the suspect two separate times since Friday, related to these crimes.
Boston 25 News has learned that the city aims to combat related incidents by increasing public safety enforcement and resources in the area while partnering with the state and service providers to transition individuals into recovery.
Over the past few years, Boston has made significant progress in establishing a pipeline of services that guide individuals from shelter to recovery and ultimately to permanent supportive housing. This initiative aims to address homelessness and improve public safety in the city.
Boston no longer has permanent encampments after passing citywide legislation and setting up coordinated services. This legislative action has been crucial in managing the city’s homelessness situation and ensuring that individuals receive the necessary support to transition into stable housing.
The family whose Worcester Square home was lived in for hours by the suspect is concerned about her impending release from custody.
The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office expects Mearn will likely be released on her next court date on Wednesday.
That’s because she doesn’t have an attorney due to the public defender work stoppage.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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