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Sandra Yi ReportingJanell Neumann: "I'm just glad they've got him. I mean, it is scary to have someone roaming around the neighborhood."
Residents are relieved after police nab a man they say burglarized homes in Davis County for months. Police say the suspect had a stash of stolen items in his car, now they're trying to identify the owners.
Police recovered a lot. They say the suspect has been burglarizing homes since October. He's now behind bars. Now police hope to return everything to the rightful owners.
Lt. Steve Gray: "Anything that you would think could be quickly converted to cash was taken."
Police showed us tables covered with stolen goods, most of it jewelry worth thousands of dollars. There are also knives, digital cameras, clothes, and coin collections. Police say it's unusual the suspected burglar kept it all.
Lt. Steve Gray, Bountiful Police Dept.: "The majority of it was in his car when he was arrested."
Police say Michael Seline had been on the prowl for several months, targeting homes, mostly in the south end of Davis County.
Lt. Steve Gray: "Entry was usually made either by breaking or kicking a door, or breaking a back window."
Janell Neuman knows just how bold the man was. A few weeks ago she saw him in her neighbor's backyard.
Janell Neumann: "I thought it was someone who was working for him because he had a bucket and tools and that, and it was like he was trimming bushes and things."
She saw the man go into her neighbor's house. She soon felt something wasn't right.
Janell Neumann: "Apparently, the neighbor confronted him and he told him to get out of the yard, and so he jumped the fence and ran through our yard. As he was running down the street, he did look back towards my house like he was wondering if he had made us call the cops. He looked nervous then."
Police encourage homeowners to lock their doors. It's something Janell Neuman does. Still, after all this, she doesn't want to take any chances.
Janell Neumann: "I didn't keep my screen door locked all the time, but now I do."
Police say Michael Seline has a criminal history that involves drugs. He's in the Davis County Jail.
If you recognized any of the stolen items or if your home has been burglarized recently, call Bountiful Police at 298-6000.
