LYNN — A 27-year-old home invasion suspect allegedly tried to grab an officer’s gun during a struggle at Union Hospital on Saturday morning, where he was being treated following his arrest the previous day.
Lynn Police were guarding the prisoner, identified as Alexander Rentas, of Lynn, who required medical assistance for an undisclosed condition or injury. Rentas was handcuffed and shackled to the bed, but was able to break the bed rail free and tried to escape, Lynn Police Lt. Michael Kmiec said.
“He was being restrained properly,” Kmiec said. “He just made every effort to get out of there.”
Rentas struggled with two officers and allegedly tried to grab one of their guns, but was unsuccessful, Kmiec said.
“(Police) were quickly able to subdue him and get him back into custody,” Kmiec said. “Nobody was injured.”
The incident occurred around 7:40 a.m.
Rentas was brought to Middleton Jail, where he is being held. He is expected to be arraigned in Lynn District Court on Monday on charges of home invasion, assault, assault and battery on a police officer, attempt to commit a crime, receiving stolen property, destruction of property, Class C drug possession, and on warrant charges for motor vehicle offenses.
Rentas was allegedly involved in a home invasion on Friday. Police responded to 65 Centre St. shortly after 10 a.m.
Rentas and another male suspect allegedly went into the home. A woman was home and confronted the suspects in the house. The suspects had a weapon and ended up taking off with some of the woman’s property, Kmiec said.
Shortly after police responded to the incident, other officers conducted a motor vehicle stop of a car because the driver, later identified as Mark West, 24, of Lynn, was unlicensed, Kmiec said.
Rentas was in the car with West and upon further investigation, police started looking at property inside the car and realized it was the stolen property from the home invasion. In addition, there was a BB gun recovered from the car, Kmiec said.
Police were operating under the information that a white car was seen leaving the home invasion site, and the car stopped by officers was also white, Kmiec said.
West was charged with unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and home invasion. Police are still looking for the second man who was inside the house with Rentas during the home invasion, because West did not match that suspect’s description, Kmiec said.
“It was fortunate that the guys made the car stop there for the unlicensed because they knew the guy was unlicensed,” Kmiec said. “Upon further investigation, they were able to piece it all together.”
