DONELSON, Tenn. (WKRN) — Residents in several neighborhoods in Donelson, Tennessee, say they’re living in fear, not sleeping at night, because the same man keeps breaking into their homes — often with an ax.
“He’s terrorizing us … He’s coming out of the woods, he’s got a hatchet, he’s got a machete, he’s breaking into multiple homes and cars,” said Merry Oaks resident Tammy Hale.
Surveillance video from several neighbors shows the same man, holding either a hammer or an ax, breaking into homes, often at night, but recently in broad daylight.
The man also broke into a local church early Sunday morning, according to several neighbors.
Metro police detectives are pursuing leads on about a dozen reports filed so far.
One video shows the man entering a home and then leaving with a suitcase full of expensive items.
Peter De La Cruz said he’s shown up on his property four times in the last three weeks.
“He stole some laptops out of my basement storage twice now, so I think he realized there’s more to get … I work on them and sell them,” De La Cruz said.
De La Cruz said he’s watched the man hide at the side of his house with a hammer.
“I came out the front as he waited and waited, and as I came out the front door with a pistol, he was at the end of the driveway when I chased him,” De La Cruz said.
The neighborhoods are very wooded, and several neighbors said the man runs into the woods when confronted.
“I get up all hours of the night and look out the window,” Hale said, “Last Sunday is when I looked outside and saw him pacing back and forth on the road. I saw him pacing like a wild animal.”
“This guy, he has no fear of any individual, and now as he’s carrying an ax and other weapons like that, people should not go up to him,” De La Cruz advised.
Police ask anyone who has been a victim to file a police report and be sure to tell the officer to “CC” Hermitage investigations on the report.