Border Agent Fights Off Burglars; 3 Held

A U.S. Border Patrol agent fought off two burglars who attempted to break into his San Ysidro house while his family slept early Saturday, police said. No injuries were reported.

Gilbert Aleman, 29, a border patrol agent for the past five years, grabbed his revolver and ran into his son’s bedroom when he was awakened at 3:10 a.m. Saturday by the sound of breaking glass. Aleman confronted a young Latino male as he tried to crawl through a window, said San Diego Police spokesman Bill Robinson.

As Aleman wrestled with the suspect and tried to pull him through the window, a second Latino standing outside attempted to hit the border patrol agent with a tire iron, Robinson said.

Aleman held on to the young Latino who had crawled through the window until police and border patrol agents arrived. He fired two shots at the second suspect, who fled on foot. Police arrested the Latino, a 17-year-old illegal alien from Tijuana, who is being held on suspicion of burglary.

At 7:30 a.m. Saturday, police arrested two 19-year-old Tijuana men near the Aleman residence on West Tijuana street in connection with the attempted burglary.

Thomas Medina-Deanda and Alfredo Quesada-Martinez are being held in San Diego County jail on burglary charges. Robinson said that Medina-Deanda also has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon for allegedly attacking Aleman with the tire iron.

Police discovered that Aleman’s pickup and sedan had been burglarized before the attempted break-in of his residence. Police believe the suspects found the tire iron after breaking into the vehicles, Robinson said.