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Century Burglar Caught In The Act Headed To Prison

A burglar caught in the act in the home of a North Escambia woman and her child is headed to prison.

Vernon Lambeth of Century was sentenced by Circuit Judge Gary L. Bergosh to 17 years in prison with a mandatory minimum 10 year sentence. That means  Lambeth will spend 17-years in state prison and will serve 10 years of his sentence day-for-day, according to State Attorney Bill Eddins.

Lambeth entered pleas in four cases on charges including burglary of an occupied dwelling, two counts of burglary of a dwelling while armed with a firearm with a mandatory 10-year sentence, two counts of grand theft, two counts of criminal mischief, introduction of contraband articles into a county detention facility and possession of methamphetamine.

Lambeth’s charges stemmed from multiple burglaries he committed in Escambia County during September and October of 2016. Prosecutors said Lambeth stole firearms, electronics and jewelry. During one of the burglaries, the resident returned home with her infant to find Lambeth inside her home outside Century.

In October 2016, the woman returned to her home on Highway 168 near Wawbeek Road in the Wawbeek community west of Century and found Lambeth inside.

“I noticed some things were out of place, and then there he was, standing in the hallway looking at me,” the victim told NorthEscambia.com on the day of the incident. She said she returned quickly to her child, who was outside in a vehicle. Lambeth ran outside with the woman giving chase in her vehicle until he entered a nearby wooded area.

A K-9 team from Century Correctional Institution was able to track the suspect down and take him into custody near Wawbeek Road, just south of the Alabama/Florida state line. Lambeth  was charged with burglary of an unoccupied dwelling and larceny.

His alleged accomplice, later identified as 51-year old Curtis Matthew Capers, was seen leaving in the area in an older model green SUV with bullet holes. The vehicle was located in Alabama just north of the state line on Sam Jones Road, about two miles from the burglary. Capers was taken into custody in Alabama.

An additional K-9 team from Century Correctional was called to Highway 168 to search a wooded area for items that were taken during the burglary.

Lambeth’s charges also included the burglary of a home on Rockaway Creek Road in Escambia County, FL. He was linked to the burglary due to a story on NorthEscambia.com.

A photograph published on NorthEscambia.com after his arrest for the Wawbeek Road burglary showed Lambeth wearing a diamond ring. That ring was identified as one stolen during the Rockaway Creek Road burglary. Lambeth took items including the ring, firearms and currency valued at $3,180 from the home. Most of the items, according to court documents, were sold or traded from drugs at his home at 120 Front Street.

Lambeth was also charged with the burglary of a home on North Pineville Road where he took jewelry, firearms and money totaling $3,350.

For more photos, click here.

NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge