Man charged with break and enter after homeowner returned to find them with a weapon

A man has been charged after he broke into a house along Lakeshore Drive in Bonnyville and was found by the homowner with a deadly weapon.

Police said the homeowner had been away for the weekend and returned on June 1 to find that the front door had been damaged.

The owner went inside and saw the male holding a .22 calibre rifle, police said, after retreating from the residence he called police.

Bonnyville RCMP attended quickly and found the male still inside the residence.

Derek Watchmaker, 34, was arrested and charged with break and enter to a dwelling, theft of firearms, and other firearms offences.

He was taken before a Justice of the Peace where he was remanded into custody.