Watertown Police arrested a woman seen breaking into one home and attempting to enter another on Dec. 23.
A Gleason Street resident called police on Dec. 23, 2018, at 11:30 a.m. after she saw a woman in her back yard approaching the backdoor of her home, said Watertown Police Lt. James O’Connor. The resident confronted the woman and told her to leave before reporting the incident to Police.
The suspect was described as a heavyset woman wearing a dark sweatshirt, multicolored leggings, and dark boots. Police checked the area but could not locate the suspect.
At about 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 23, a Buick Street resident pulled into her driveway and saw a woman go into the garage of her neighbor’s home, O’Connor said. The woman brought out a ladder and put it up to a first floor window.
The resident thought the woman was her neighbor and was going over to say hello, When she realized it was not her, the resident confronted the woman, who ran away, O’Connor said. The resident called police to report the attempted break in.
“She described (the suspect) as a female wearing multi-colored leggings and a dark sweatshirt,” O’Connor said.
Police searched the area for the suspect and at about 2:05 p.m. an officer located a woman matching the description on Essex Street and Main Street. One of the witnesses positively identified the woman as the one that was breaking into homes.
The woman was identified as Diane Barrera, 26, of Boston, O’Connor said. Barrera was arrested on charges of daytime breaking and entering for a felony, and attempting to commit a crime (for trying to break into the Gleason Street home.
O’Connor said Watertown Police do not believe these break ins were related to the series of thefts a few weeks ago.