The Willoughby Police Department confirms it has arrested Robert Leach, 20, Wednesday afternoon in reference to seven suspected burglaries in Willoughby, one burglary in Mentor, and one burglary in Wickliffe.
Police say that he was arraigned Thursday morning in Willoughby Municipal Court. He is currently being held on a $100,000 cash/surety bond and will be taken to the Lake County Jail Thursday afternoon.
More charges will be forthcoming at Lake County Common Pleas. Detectives have been able to recover a majority of the stolen jewelry and watches at various pawn shops and at Leach’s residence.
Police say the investigation got underway when they began receiving burglary complaints from seven different homes beginning March 29.
As the investigation continued, detectives saw that each of the burglaries happened between March 29 and April 1.
All but one happened in the Franklyn Commons condominium complex, near the Willoughby/Wickliffe border.
One of the burglaries occurred at the Avenue Apartments in the 33700 block of Euclid Avenue, in the vicinity of Franklyn Commons. Police say three of the victims reported being home and asleep when the suspect forced entry into their homes and stole watches, cash, and jewelry from their bedrooms.
Willoughby Police had already recently arrested Robert Leach on suspicion of vehicle break-ins and one attempted burglary in same general area of Franklyn Commons in February, police said.
Police say that Leach was being held at the Lake County Jail on a previous burglary complaint but was out on bond March 14. He lives near the Franklyn Commons complex.
Police say they set up a detailed surveillance for several nights. According to a release from police, on April 4, they followed him to mentor and discovered he had a stolen watch from one of the Willoughby burglary victims.
