A man who was caught on camera breaking into a home in Maumee has been arrested by authorities in Toledo.
According to the Lucas County Sheriff’s Office, Stephen Whitner has been taken into police custody in connection with the incident. The sheriff’s office also confirmed that the state parole authority is collaborating with local officials to press charges against Whitner for the break-in.
The community’s assistance in identifying Whitner was greatly appreciated by LCSO, who shared footage from surveillance on Monday to aid in the investigation.
A local family was left shaken by an incident that occurred just before 3:00 a.m. on Monday morning.
Melanie Grover, the homeowner, expressed her excitement about the incident by taking the day off from work. She couldn’t stop thinking about it and watched the video multiple times, hoping to find more clues. In her words to 13 Action News, she said, “I took the day off of work, I couldn’t think of anything else. I kept watching the video over and over again looking for more clues.”
Grover’s house was caught on security cameras when an older man was seen walking around the premises. He was wearing a tank top and shorts with a towel around his neck. Grover had trouble sleeping and heard someone rummaging around the house. Initially, she thought it was her sons getting a snack.
According to Grover, he heard someone coming up the stairs a few minutes later, but he didn’t recognize the footsteps as his son’s.
As she had a gut feeling that something was amiss, she glanced at her phone and witnessed a stranger through her security cameras.
According to Grover, she called 911 and the Lucas County sheriff’s deputies arrived at the scene within five minutes. However, the man in question was not present, and no theft occurred.
Grover expressed his uncertainty about the motives of the intruder in the house, stating that it was more unsettling to not know the reason behind the break-in rather than just assuming they were after money.
The deputies collected DNA samples and utilized Facebook to seek leads on the suspect.
While speaking to Grover on Monday evening, she spotted the same man who had broken into her home riding past on his bike. Despite her immediate call to the Sheriff’s Office, they were unable to locate him.
Grover expressed his concern about the person’s motive, whether it was due to being lost and confused or having ulterior motives. Regardless, she hopes that the person is found and receives the necessary help or is apprehended.
