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Pueblo homeowner holds burglary suspect at gunpoint

Posted at 6:13 AM, Sep 20, 2018
and last updated 2018-09-21 08:06:29-04

PUEBLO – A burglary suspect in Pueblo was stopped in his tracks at gunpoint as he entered a home for the second time Thursday morning.

According to Pueblo Police, everyone who lives inside the home on the 800 block of W. 14th was sound asleep at 4 a.m., but the burglar managed to get inside.

He reportedly grabbed a set of keys, then made his way to a detached garage for an intended getaway in the homeowner’s car.

However, the suspect grabbed the wrong keys and decided to go back for another attempt. This time by waking up the homeowner and demanding the keys. That didn’t work out so well, according to police.

The homeowner, Alex Clarke, told News 5 he woke up to a noise in his home. He first thought it was his roommate, but when the suspect entered his room to demand the car keys he soon realized what was happening.

“Naturally you’re scared, I was more scared about my wife and kids,” Clarke said. “I didn’t know if he had a weapon or what.”

Clarke, who was naked at the time, told the man he was going to get the keys. Instead, he grabbed his gun and led the suspect to his backyard at gunpoint.

“I don’t know if he was more afraid of the gun or the 400-pound naked guy pointing it at him,” Clarke said.

Police took the suspect, identified as Randy Mata, into custody. He’s facing multiple charges, including first-degree burglary.

Randy Mata
Randy Mata is accused of breaking into a home and demanding car keys from the owner. (Pueblo Police Department)