MOSES LAKE — A burglar was arrested last week in Moses Lake after the owner of the home he was burglarizing allegedly came home as the suspect was ransacking his house.

Around noon on Thursday a man returned to his residence in the 1100 block of Abbey Road and reportedly found Samuel Peppinger, 18, burglarizing his home. Peppinger had allegedly loaded items into totes inside the home and broken open a safe that was inside the residence.

“When the homeowner entered his home, Peppinger abandoned his haul and ran out the back door. The homeowner gave a great description of Peppinger to officers,” MLPD Capt. Mike Williams said. “Using that description, Moses Lake police officers located Peppinger about a half-hour later, still in the neighborhood.”

Police were able to locate physical evidence that tied Peppeninger to the burglary. In addition, Peppinger allegedly left his skateboard and backpack at the Abbey Road residence when he fled the area and he reportedly still had some of the stolen property with him.

Peppinger allegedly admitted to watching the residence, waiting for the occupants to leave and throwing a rock through the back window. Peppinger was booked into the Grant County Jail for residential burglary and second-degree malicious mischief.

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.