Vermont: North Hero Burglary Suspect Arrested

Burlington, Vermont

From WCAX of November 25, 2008

North Hero Burglary Suspect Arrested

Police say they've arrested the burglar who was shot at by a homeowner Monday in North Hero. It turns out the suspect is a career burglar who is well-known to the police and he has even been interviewed by Channel 3 News several times.

Now Eric Edson, 37, is back behind bars facing new burglary charges. And the police say he made catching him all too easy.

"Through follow-up investigation we learned that he was residing in the Burlington area," said Sgt. Kirk Cooper, of the Vt. State Police.

Police say Edson was arrested sitting outside his mother-in-law's apartment in Burlington. The arrest came less than 20 hours after police say Edson broke into two homes in North Hero for burglaries. But he made a big mistake in the second house when the homeowner caught him red-handed.

"The homeowner went to his residence, had a handgun, entered his residence, and confronted a male subject that was in his residence, and the homeowner fired two rounds from his handgun as the subject fled the area," Cooper said.

Police say Edson escaped uninjured and stole a truck to make his getaway. That triggered a massive manhunt Monday night in Grand Isle. Edson made it easy for the police to figure out who the burglar was because he drove to the homes in his own Blazer and he left it behind.

"Which was good for us," Cooper said. "That was a good clue."

Police say the homeowner who shot at Edson identified him from a photo lineup. And his picture had been in many lineups in the last two decades. He has more than three dozen felony convictions for burglaries and thefts, which have kept him behind bars for most of his adult life. He has been interviewed on Channel 3 several times for his views on prison life, including one month ago, when we did a report about rapes in prison. Edson denied that rapes were being committed in Vermont prisons.

"You're more protected in there than out here. I could leave here today and get shot. The chances of me going to the chow hall and getting shot or stabbed is zero," Edson said.

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