Suspected house burglar caught in the act in Willoughby

WILLOUGHBY, Ohio - Willoughby police have arrested a man who was allegedly caught in the act of burglarizing a home.

Monday, officers were working surveillance after several burglaries were reported in the area when Terry Reffitt, 24, of Cleveland, emerged from the Halle Estates area. Just before noon, he walked up the driveway of a home on Som Center Road near Ridge Road and entered a sun porch at the rear of the home attempting to open the back door.

Along with police, an alert neighbor also spotted Reffitt and yelled at him. Reffitt left the home and was arrested by Willoughby officers as he crossed Som Center Road. Reffitt was carrying an empty backpack, a screwdriver, and a flashlight, police said.

A homeowner was present at the time of the incident but was unharmed.

Officers learned Reffitt had been staying at the nearby Travelodge motel since Nov. 7, 2012. Several pieces of jewelry and drug paraphernalia were recovered from the motel room.

Reffitt has been charged with four counts of burglary, second degree felonies, and three counts of possessing criminal tools, fifth degree felonies.

Burglaries that Reffitt has been charged with:
- Nov. 12, 2012 35600 block of Ridge Road
- Nov. 13, 2012 5700 block of Som Center Road
- Nov. 16, 2012 5900 block of Halle Farm Drive
- Nov. 19, 2012 5700 block of Som Center Road

Reffitt was arraigned Tuesday by the Willoughby Municipal Court and has a bond set at $100,000 cash or surety.