Cops: Trooper thwarts burglary at own house

A bumbling burglar who tried to break into a state trooper's home in Manayunk early Saturday morning didn't even get through the door before the trooper took him down and held him for responding officers, according to police.

Around 3 a.m., a 32-year-old state trooper who lives in the 4200 block of Main Street heard a noise at his front door and went to investigate, police said. The trooper saw the doorknob turning and when he opened the door, there was a man armed with a metal scraper, like those used to scrape paint or wallpaper from walls, according to police.

The trooper was able to detain the suspect, whom police identified as Justin Miskovich, until backup arrived. Miskovich, 32, is from the 4300 block of Crescent, just blocks away from the trooper's house, police said. Neither man was hurt during the incident and it's unclear if Miskovich targeted the trooper's house or picked it at random, police said.

Miskovich, who has no known criminal record, was charged with attempted burglary, criminal trespass, possessing instruments of a crime and related offenses, according to police.

Captain James Raykovitz, commanding officer of the Troop K barracks in Philadelphia, confirmed that the state trooper involved in the incident is stationed at Troop K.