ATLANTIC CITY — A Pleasantville man was arrested Tuesday, after police received a report he was trying to break into Mayor Lorenzo Langford’s home.
Rahim Gallagher, 23, was charged with criminal trespassing and released on a summons.
Nynell Langford, the mayor’s wife, said a relative who was inside their house called City Hall after noticing someone on the property attempting to get inside. When Mayor Lorenzo Langford got the call at his office, Business Administrator Michael Scott was there.
“I just asked (police) to send a car over — that was it,” Scott said. “I didn’t know what the situation was or anything like that.”
There were no signs that Gallagher attempted to enter by force, Sgt. Monica McMenamin said. Gallagher was not in possession of any burglary tools or a weapon.
“It could’ve had a different outcome, but thank God everything was secured,” Nynell Langford said. “It’s now a police matter, so we’re just going to let the Atlantic City police – who did a fantastic job, they were very professional, and I certainly appreciate it – handle it.”
Police still were trying to figure out the details of why Gallagher was at the home on the 1000 block of Monroe Avenue.
“We don’t know why he picked that house,” McMenamin said. “He said he was looking for someone.”
Langford got a call at his City Hall office alerting him there was a problem at home, said Business Administrator Michael Scott, who was with the mayor at the time. When police arrived on the scene at about 12:30 p.m., the saw a male run east on Marmora Avenue.
They were able to track him to a home on the 1900 block of McKinley Avenue, where he was taken into custody at 12:46 p.m, McMenamin said.
