City burglary suspect held after struggle

NASHUA – A city couple awoke early Tuesday to find a strange young man in their bedroom, and they struggled with him before the teen jumped out through a second-story window, police said.

Police were already outside when Gregory Kent, 18, of 37 Burke St., landed on the lawn, and he was arrested and taken to a city hospital for treatment, having been cut up while breaking through two windows, police said.

Kent remains in custody, his bail set at $5,000, and was expected to be arraigned today in Nashua District Court on charges of burglary, attempted burglary and three counts of simple assault, Detective Lt. George McCarthy said.

Police were called to Haines Street at about 2:20 a.m. on a report of a burglary in process. Officers found a blood trail leading away from a broken window in an unoccupied house on Haines Street. Kent is accused of breaking the window in an attempt to get into the house, and police said he cut himself in the process.

Kent walked to another, nearby home and walked in through an unlocked door, police said. Inside, he walked into a bedroom where the couple was asleep, and the noise woke them, McCarthy said.

The woman turned on the light, and the man chased after Kent, and both struggled with him briefly before Kent jumped through the window, McCarthy said.

“The husband woke up, gave chase and tried to restrain him, and this guy punched him,” McCarthy said.

Kent is accused of hitting both the husband and wife while struggling with them, he said.

The couple’s teenage son also woke up, McCarthy said.

Andrew Wolfe can be reached at 594-6410 or awolfe@nashuatelegraph.com.