Taunton Police searching for suspect in Thursday night home invasion

May 5, 2018 9:14 am

By: Chloe Leshner

cleshner@abc6.com

@ChloeLeshner

TAUNTON, MA (WLNE) – Taunton Police are investigating a home invasion on Staples Street that occurred Thursday night.

Police responded to a reported home invasion at 80 Staples Street, East Taunton around 8:45 p.m. Thursday.

The homeowner tells ABC 6 News she’s not going to live her life in fear even though the man that took her belongings and threatened her at gunpoint is still on the loose.

Shirley Rodriquez isn’t staying in and hiding despite what happened Thursday night.

"I heard a knock on my door and thought it was my neighbor so I cracked the door. The door came down, that was it," she says.

She says a man wearing a black mask forced his way inside her house.

"My pocketbook was right there, he took the pocketbook, my dog started barking, he threatened to shoot the dog," she says.

Terrifyingly enough, Rodriquez says a crime like this has happened before so she was able to stay level headed.

"I just stayed calm and let him take what he wanted. Make sure he doesn’t hurt, especially my little cripple dog," says the 73 year old.

The man took her house phone and car keys before demanding she go in the bathroom.

"Of course I’m going to do what he says, he had a gun, a big gun," she says.

The man drove off in her Camry, police later finding it parked just 1 minute away on Seekell Street. People who live there tell ABC 6 News they saw a man ditch the car in the wooded area.

Police still haven’t made an arrest but Rodriquez is continuing about her business.

"I’m not living in fear for nobody."

Police described the male as approx. 5’7”-5’8” tall, medium build, and wearing a black mask, gloves, dark shirt and possibly khaki pants.

The incident is being investigated by the Taunton Police Detective Division. Anyone with information regarding this crime is encouraged to contact Taunton Police at (508) 821-1475.