Authorities say the incident occurred shortly before 1 p.m. on Friday at a house on the 600 block of Ocean Avenue
LAKEWOOD -- Three gun-toting men broke into a Lakewood home Friday afternoon, prompting police to lock down the area temporarily while they searched for the suspects.
Shortly before 1 p.m., a motorist called police to report that he had just picked up a man who was "running for his life" along Ocean Avenue after the break-in, said Lakewood Detective Lt. Gregory Staffordsmith.
Staffordsmith said the man was in his second-floor bedroom of a house on the 600 block of Ocean Avenue, which is also known as Route 88, and spotted three men with guns when he opened the door.
The resident jumped out a second-floor window to get away and was running down the street when the motorist found him, Staffordsmith said.
The man did not appear to be injured but police dispatched Lakewood EMS to evaluate his condition as a precaution, he said.
Responding to the scene were officers from the police department's patrol division, its special response team, its detective bureau and Detective. Peter Aakjer, a negotiator, Staffordsmith said.
Also helping at the scene were officers from the Ocean County Sheriff's Office's K-9 unit, its CSI unit and its special response team along with the Ocean County Prosecutors Office, he said.
Officers from the specialized units went into the house and after an extensive search, did not find anyone inside, he said.
Anyone who may have witnessed the incident is urged to call Lakewood Detective Michael Mooney Jr. at 732-363-0200, ext. 5341
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