Five people arrested after breaking into Cape Coral home

Five people are in jail after, police said, they tried to break into a Cape Coral home. Reports show they had drugs on them when police caught up to them.

It happened Sunday night on Southeast Fifth Terrace.

Neighbors said that, in the past, they’ve seen the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms being at the house, and Cape Coral police did confirm they’ve been to this home several times, but police said, right now, the house is supposed to be vacant.

“The homeowner had called, said, ‘No one’s supposed to be at my house.’ Here are people who are walking around the house looking in windows. I have video footage that I’m looking at currently and then he saw them enter the residence,” said Mercedes Phillips, a public information officer for the Cape Coral Police Department.

The five suspects were arrested for tampering with the lockbox, gaining access to the key and going inside.

Two of the five suspects were found with cocaine and face drug-related charges.

Neighbors and police said the house is currently vacant but is watched by a property manager.

As for what the five suspects were looking to do once inside, police and neighbors can only speculate.

“The property manager had responded to the location, and she was able to point out things that were supposed to be there, weren’t supposed to be there, which was further evidence that the people had intended to stay there. Maybe party there. We’re not sure,” Phillips said.

“There’s people in and out of there, even though it’s an unoccupied house,” a neighbor said.

All five suspects are in the Lee County Jail.

Police said Abraham Rivera, one of the suspects, just served a 10-year sentence for burglary and was released 2 weeks ago.

Now, he faces more of the same charges.

Neighbors said they want the house to be patrolled more often.