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Home Invasion Robbery Suspect Arrested

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SUNCOAST NEWS STAFF REPORT

Published: August 20, 2008

Kevin Hayward Rigby

NEW PORT RICHEY - A man on probation has been charged in connections with a pair of recent residential break-ins and allegedly has admitted to other recent home burglaries.

On Aug. 13 Kevin Hayward Rigby broke into an occupied home on Bantam Avenue, according to a Pasco Sheriff's Office arrest affidavit. Rigby broke into another occupied house on Bantam Avenue on Aug. 15, according to another affidavit.

Rigby, 29, 5836 Dahlia Ave., New Port Richey, was arrested Tuesday in connections with the burglaries, according to the Sheriff's Office. His bail was set at $155,000.

In the Aug. 13 incident the 78-year-old female victim, who lives alone in the house, said she awoken by a 6:25 a.m. alarm and heard a noise in her kitchen.

The woman discovered the suspect in the kitchen wearing a mask and gloves and holding a revolver, she told deputies.

The intruder pointed the gun at the woman and said "I'm looking for pills and money," she said. The man took a bottle of pills and a wallet containing a number of credit cards, she said.

Around 3:30 a.m. on Aug. 15, investigators found Rigby walking around the Holiday Gardens Estate neighborhood. Shortly before, Rigby had broken into the other home on Bantam Avenue, occupied by a man and woman in their 50s and fled when the woman yelled to the male roommate, according to an affidavit.

The male break-in victim told deputies he searched the house with a loaded shotgun because of other recent break-ins in the neighborhood but did not see an intruder. Various doors and cabinets had been opened, he said.

After finding him on the street deputies searched Rigby and found him to be carrying a revolver, mask, gloves, flashlight, pliers and a screwdriver, according to the affidavit.

Rigby was arrested on one count each of home invasion robbery, burglary of an occupied dwelling, possession of burglary tools and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to Florida Department of Corrections records, Rigby received 18 months' probation in March of this year in connection with drug possession, drunken driving and burglary charges.

A search of Rigby's bedroom turned up credit cards the victim in the Aug. 13 break-in said were stolen from her.

Under questioning at the county jail, Rigby admitted he had broken into both Bantam Avenue homes, which are two blocks north of his Dahlia Avenue residence, and had committed other break-ins in the area, according to affidavits.

Rigby told investigators he had a revolver with him during the Aug. 13 burglary but did not point it at the victim. He asked the woman for pills and money but didn't recall taking pills, although he did take her wallet, Rigby said.

According to one of the affidavits two unnamed suspects accompanied Rigby to the burglary scene during the Aug. 15 incident.

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