Police Unmask Fedora-Wearing Burglary Suspect In Belleville

BELLEVILLE, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Police said believe they've unmasked a home intruder in New Jersey.

Jermaine Ramirez, 25, of Newark, has been arrested in connection with a burglary that occurred in Belleville early last Friday.

Surveillance video captured the suspect lurking around a home on Eugene Place. Police said he broke into the house wearing a fedora and a mask with the eyes cut out, resembling the western character "Zorro."

According to police, the homeowner and her two children were asleep on the basement level futon when the suspect grabbed the woman and tried to drag her to a nearby bedroom. During the chaos, the woman's 6-year-old son woke up and ran upstairs to alert his grandfather.

"He woke up, started screaming, ran upstairs, doing what we think prevented something worse from happening," Det. Sgt. John McAloon said.

Police believe the man spent about 40 minutes in the home, but only got away with $20 from the woman's purse.

Police released a sketch of the suspect to the public and also sent a water bottle recovered during the investigation for DNA testing.

Detectives recognized Ramirez from the sketch. They were familiar with him from previous incidents that occurred in the area last year, police said.

Detectives were able to find surveillance video showing him walking out of his house wearing the same clothes used during the incident. Clothing matching the description given by a witness was found in his home, police said.

Ramirez was arrested and admitted to committing the crime, police said.

Police do not believe the family was targeted.