Unknown man enters residence

The report of an unknown man entering a residence in Haxtun Sunday evening spread quickly via social media and had many local residents feeling uneasy.

About 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 23, a resident in the 100 block of South Logan Avenue reported that a strange man had entered through the back door of the home and when he realized the residence was occupied, took off running west on Chase Street.

According to information from Haxtun Police Chief Tanya Mayhew, the man was described as a white male, five feet, 10 inches tall to six feet tall, with a scruffy face, possibly a goatee, wearing a black hoodie and blue jeans. He is believed to be in his 20s or 30s. The male was reported to have a slight limp, which became much more pronounced when running.

“The Holyoke Police Department has reports of similar incidences on Saturday night of a male matching the same description,” Mayhew said Monday morning. “With the information that we have received, we believe that he is no longer in the area. Officers searched into the night as well as this morning with no findings so we do not believe that there are currently any threats at this time, however, if you see a male matching this description, please notify police immediately.”

Mayhew encourages residents to always be observant and to watch out for each other and to report any suspicious activity right away. She also reminds community members to keep vehicles and residences locked as a precaution as part of everyday safety.