REHOBOTH - Three men allegedly tried to break into a senior citizen's residence while she was home alone Sunday.

Dighton police stopped the van on Williams Street, as it turned from Wellington Street, in their town about 15 minutes later.

Rehoboth police then arrested Jeffrey L. Chapman, 35, of 43 Porter St., Taunton; Michael J. Ribeiro, 33, of 623 Somerset Ave., North Dighton; and Jason J. Medas, 32, of 16 Mason St., Apt. 2, Taunton, in the incident.

The victim, 78, called 911 at 4:22 p.m. to report that several men had just tried to break into her home, Police Chief Stephen Enos said in a press release Sunday night.

The woman gave dispatcher Bree Hoskins a description of the suspect and their vehicle, a white 2000 Ford van. Minutes after Hoskins radioed this information to area police, several Rehoboth residents hearing the broadcast reported spotting such a van heading down Elm and County streets toward Dighton, Enos said.

As Rehoboth Officer Paul McGovern and other officers searched the Wheeler Street area, Dighton Sgt. Ed Dutra saw the van and pulled it over on Williams Street in Dighton at 4:34 p.m., Enos said.

Rehoboth police charged Chapman, Ribeiro and Medas each with: breaking and entering in the daytime for felony (person in fear), malicious destruction of property over $250 and conspiracy. Chapman also was arrested on a probation violation warrant. Medas also was charged with providing a false name/Social Security number to police and driving with a suspended license. He was also arrested on an Attleboro District Court default warrant on a previous assault and battery charge.

All three suspects were held overnight at the Bristol County House of Corrections in New Bedford pending arraignment today in Taunton District Court.

Chapman was held overnight without bail, Enos said. Bail was set for Medas at $6,175 and for Ribeiro at $5,000.