Man arrested after break-ins, assault caught on camera in Lehigh Acres

Lee County detectives arrested a man early Saturday morning after they say he broke into a Lehigh Acres home, battered at least one of the victims inside, and ran across the street where he broke into another neighbor’s car.

This all unfolded on Majors Avenue South in Lehigh Acres.

Just before 1 a.m., the victims were awakened by noises coming from outside their home. Upon pulling up their home security surveillance system, they saw a man identified by deputies as Demetrie Allen, 29, attempting to break into their car. The Lee County Sheriff’s Department has this surveillance video as evidence.

The victims turned their front porch lights on, hoping it would scare Allen away. Instead, he ran into the front door and began breaking it open, making his way inside. The woman who lives inside the home attempted to stop him from entering by leaning on the door and holding a vase. Once in the home, the LCSO says he pushed one of the victims before running away.

There were children inside the home at the time of the break-in. An unidentified man and woman came to the door begging the first two victims’ not to call the police on Allen and claiming to be his friends.

While deputies were driving to the home, they say Allen ran across the street and started banging on another neighbor’s door. He left blood smeared all over it. He entered that neighbor’s vehicle. A man with Allen then asked that victim if they could unlock their car.

After he fled into the woods, deputies found and took him into arrested him without incident. One victim said Allen’s arms were bleeding when he escaped into the woods.

One of the victims spoke to WINK news off-camera about how terrified she was.

Joseph Coffman also lives in the neighborhood and is concerned about what happened. “It is a little worrisome that something like that is starting to happen so close to home,” Coffman said. “I can only imagine how they feel.”

Another victim says when Allen broke into his car, he left a bloody mess in there and on his front door.

Allen faces charges of burglary with a battery, burglary to a vehicle and vandalism.

Watch the LCSO’s captured surveillance footage below or click here.