Burglary suspect
gets in the line of fire

A suspected burglar got more than he bargained for when he allegedly broke into a Northwood home on Feb. 27 and was greeted by a hail of gunfire.
At about 12:30 a.m., Jamal Bentley, 21, of the 2400 block of N. Patton St., allegedly pried open the rear door of a house on the 5900 block of Horrocks St. He then went to the second floor and into a bedroom, said Officer Christine O’Brien, a Philadelphia police spokeswoman.
The resident of the home, whom police did not name, was waiting there with a gun. According to O’Brien, the resident was alone and had been alerted to the break-in by the sound of strange voices.
The resident fired at the suspected burglar, who fled into the street. Arriving police found him at short distance away on the 1300 block of Van Kirk St. with a wound of the groin. He was taken to Temple University Hospital in critical condition.
A hospital spokesman refused to disclose any updated information on Bentley citing federal patient privacy laws.
Investigators later observed pry marks on the house’s rear door and on the bedroom door. They recovered a pry bar at the scene, O’Brien said.
Bentley was charged with robbery, burglary, criminal trespass and related crimes.
According to court records, he has two other outstanding criminal cases. He was arrested in August 2006 on drug dealing and gun charges and awaits trial in the case. A trial date has not been set.
While out on bail after that arrest, he was arrested again in January 2007 in another burglary case. He again gained his freedom by posting bail and was scheduled for a March 4 trial in that case.
In both prior arrests, Bentley was charged along with different accomplices. Though the victim in last week’s burglary may have heard multiple voices, there was no information about any other suspects in the initial police report. ••