Teen accused of breaking into blind neighbor's house held on $500G bail

An 18-year-old man accused of breaking into a legally blind neighbor's house early Friday morning and letting the house fill with natural gas is being held on $500,000 bail.

Police said Tomayo McDuffy was arrested Friday after he forced his way into the 54-year-old woman's house on Marple Street near Torresdale Avenue in Holmesburg around 3 a.m. and turned on her gas stove without the flame, filling the home with gas. The legally blind woman awoke to the sound of men's voices downstairs and her guide dog's barking, police said. The dog apparently chased out the burglars, then helped the woman to call 9-1-1, Northeast Detective Division Capt. Francis Bachmayer said on Friday.

Police believe McDuffy did not act alone and are still looking for any accomplices in the home-invasion.

McDuffy, who police say lives on the same block as the victim, is being held on a half-million dollars' bail and faces charges including attempted murder, aggravated assault, burglary, conspiracy, causing catastrophe, cruelty to animals, terroristic threats, reckless endangerment and related offenses.

He is being held at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility on State Road.