Cape man accused of burglarizing boss' home

An accused burglar was caught on tape this week breaking into his employer's Cape Girardeau home and stealing three handguns, according to authorities.

Chad B. Peltz, 26, of 175 W. Forrester Drive, was charged with felony second-degree burglary and three counts of felony stealing.

He is accused of burglarizing the home at 402 Chesley Drive on Tuesday afternoon, according to police spokesman Jason Selzer. The home's owner, who had recently hired Peltz to lay tile, identified the defendant breaking into his house from surveillance cameras recording the crime, Selzer said.

While the owner was driving back from a long weekend in Florida, Peltz called Tuesday morning to ask him where he was.

"It was to determine he was not at home," Selzer said of the phone call.

One video camera, of which the owner has several on the outside perimeter of his property, captured Peltz forcing open a storm door of the home and attempting to pry open the main door around noon, according to a probable cause statement.

Peltz was later seen leaving the residence at 3:16 p.m., the statement read.

At 3:19 p.m., Peltz left a voice message on the owner's cell phone stating he saw a suspicious vehicle at the Chesley Drive home, according to Selzer.

"I guess he was trying to cover himself," he said.

When the owner came home around 7 p.m., he reported the burglary to the police.

Two 9 mm Glock handguns and a .357-caliber Smith and Wesson handgun were stolen, Selzer said. The owner also reported a stolen laptop computer, jewelry, credit cards and cash, according to the statement.

Peltz's roommate led officers to the stolen goods later that night, the statement read.

Bond for Peltz was set at $10,000.

This was at least the second time the homeowner's video cameras captured a crime in progress. On April 8, the video showed someone attempting to break into the owner's garage.

No one has been arrested in that attempted burglary; Peltz was not believed to be connected to that crime, Selzer said.

kmorrison@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127