Only in Upstate New York: Burglar Loses Battle to a Snow Shovel

You never expect your quiet Sunday evening to involve a stranger, a shattered window, and a snow shovel. But that’s exactly what happened to one Endicott homeowner who came face to face with a suspected burglar just after getting home from work.

Deputies say the man caught the intruder in the act and did what anybody might do when adrenaline kicks in, and winter tools are close by...he grabbed the shovel.

Deputies Walked Into a Scene You Don’t See Every Day

When Broome County Sheriff’s deputies showed up, they found 42-year-old Nicholas J. Sacco curled up on the ground while the homeowner stood nearby with that now-famous shovel.

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According to the Sheriff’s Office, the homeowner had heard glass breaking, followed the noise to his porch, and found Sacco trying to force his way inside. A shove off the porch didn’t stop him, so the homeowner reached for whatever he had handy.

What the Homeowner Says Happened

The homeowner told deputies he had barely walked through the door from work when he heard the first crash of glass somewhere close by. Moments later came a second crash, this time from his own porch. When he went to check, he found Sacco trying to break in through the kitchen door. He pushed him out, Sacco tried to come back in, and that’s when the shovel came into play.

EMS treated the homeowner for cuts on his arm, but he was able to keep Sacco at the scene until deputies arrived.

And Then There Was the Place Next Door…

As if one break-in wasn’t enough, deputies soon realized the neighboring property, a hair salon, had also been burglarized. The timeline lined up a little too perfectly, and investigators connected Sacco to both incidents.

The Charges Sacco Is Now Facing

Following the investigation, Sacco was arrested and charged with:
• Burglary in the 2nd Degree, Class C Felony
• Burglary in the 3rd Degree, Class D Felony
• Two counts of Criminal Mischief in the 3rd Degree, Class E Felonies

Sacco was arraigned and taken to the Broome County Correctional Facility. The Union Volunteer Emergency Squad also assisted at the scene.

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Sheriff Akshar’s Takeaway

Sheriff Fred Akshar summed it up with a pretty clear warning: breaking into someone’s home is always a bad idea, and sometimes you’re going to run into a homeowner who isn’t afraid to defend what’s theirs, snow shovel and all.