Police: Man arrested after trying to break into apartment, claims it was his

A 37-year-old Lorain man was arrested Jan. 15 after attempting to break into an Elyria apartment he claims was his own, police say.

Richard A. Marshall was charged with burglary, a fourth-degree felony, according to an Elyria police report.

Officers responded at 4 a.m. to the apartment complex in the 1900 block of Fowl Road for a man who was attempting to enter a third-floor apartment through the balcony.

Officers met with the victim who said he had been a resident of the apartment for a year and had never seen Marshall before.

He told police he woke up to Marshall banging on his windows and claiming the apartment was his, according to the report.

Marshall also told the man he was police and demanded he be allowed inside, the report said.

Marshall then removed a window screen, shattered the window and attempted to enter, the report said.

The victim then grabbed a hunting rifle, told Marshall not to move and called the police.

Marshall, who appeared to police to have mental health issues, insisted the apartment was his although he had no furniture in the unit.

He told police he hadn’t been back to his apartment in months, but decided to come back.

Marshall is in the Lorain County Jail on a $500 bond until a court date that will be set later.

This is the second time Marshall has tried to enter someone else’s residence in the past week, authorities said.

He attempted to enter a Lorian house Jan. 13, according to a Lorain police report.

Officers responded to that incident at 7:11 p.m. in the 4300 block of Washington Avenue.

The victim said he and his family were on the first floor of their residence when they heard the front door open.

The victim said he observed Marshall carrying a McDonald’s food bag and a McDonald’s drink.

Standing just inside his front door, one of the occupants pushed the male out of the house.

Marshall was not combative and left the residence.

Officers later found Marshall who said the residence was his friend’s home, but couldn’t give any further information, the report said.

Police believed he did not appear in a crisis nor was a danger to himself or anyone else, so he was advised to seek medical help and was not charged in that incident, according to the report.

Marshall