Blog Briefing Room

Armed robber caught in lawmaker’s home

An armed man broke into the Washington home of Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) last Friday in what police say was an attempted burglary.

DeLauro’s husband, Stanley Greenberg, a pollster and former adviser to President Clinton, discovered a man holding a large knife in the couple’s bedroom last Friday, reported WJLA. Police officers arrived shortly thereafter.

{mosads}The suspect reportedly headed down the house stairs, saw an officer and walked back up. Police eventually apprehended the suspect.

“Congresswoman DeLauro’s house in Washington was broken into early last Friday evening,” confirmed Sara Lonardo, a spokeswoman for DeLauro, in a statement.

“Neither she nor her husband were at the house at the time of the break-in, although her husband arrived while the invasion was in progress, and police apprehended the burglar at the scene,” she added. “They thank the Metropolitan Police Department and Capitol Police for their response and are grateful no one was harmed.”

The man was identified as 55-year-old D.C. resident John Chaplin. WJLA reported that law enforcement recovered several items, including jewelry and a laptop.

He was charged with second-degree burglary.

DeLauro easily won reelection last week. She has first elected to Congress in 1990.