ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Parents and children trick-or-treating on Thursday found themselves in the middle of a police search that started when an apartment was burglarized at Colonial Point Apartments on Econ Circle.
"He could probably be anywhere, we don't know where he's at. You never know. He could hold up one of us hostage or something," said Alecia Reinford, who was out with her two children.
The man who lives in the apartment that was burglarized told Local 6 he was sleeping in his bedroom as the suspect was rummaging through his things. He woke up, and chased the suspect out.
Deputies set up a perimeter, trying to catch the suspect who took off running.
"I stopped and I asked the police officer if we were safe and they said as long as they're standing out there, we'll be safe," said Nicole Tursi.
Flashing lights were seen by trick-or-treaters on Lakewood Point Drive a mile away, where on Tuesday, four men stormed into a home wearing Halloween masks and holding shot guns.
According to a report, the four men ordered the homeowner to get on the ground as they grabbed his computer, X-Box, cellphone and other expensive electronics.
"Of course I'm alarmed," said Tursi. "I try to take precaution any way I can."
Local 6 reached out to deputies to see if the burglar was caught, but as of late Thursday evening, calls to the sheriff's office spokesperson were not returned.