Green Township homeowner tricks burglar into thinking he's not home and suspect falls for the bait

GREEN TWP, Ohio - Police say a bold burglar decided to strike not once, or twice, but three times.

However, the third time wasn't the charm.

Green Township police say the homeowner caught the burglar in the act.

Police say Scott Hayes' Green Township home had been burglarized twice in two weeks.

The suspect had apparently stolen some of his wife's jewelry. Some of it was cherished jewelry handed down from her late mother.

Lt. Vetter says the homeowner was frustrated, but he figured, if the burglar was bold enough to strike twice, he'd probably try again.

He put a plan into action Monday morning to try to catch the burglar.

"He put his car in a different place so it would look like no one was home," Vetter said.

Police say the burglar fell for the bait.

"He was home at the time. He heard someone coming through his door and knew no one was supposed to be there. He heard footsteps. At that point, the gentleman retrieved his gun and was able to locate the suspect inside a master bathroom," Vetter said.

Dispatch received a call from Hayes around 11 a.m. Monday asking police to come to his home on Ebenezer Road.

"I got a guy laying on the floor and I got a gun on him," he told a dispatcher during the 911 call.

Hayes begged police to get there as fast as they could.

"Get here quick. I don't want to have to shoot him," he told the dispatcher.

Hayes also told the dispatcher that Roth was his neighbor.

Vetter says Hayes had the right to protect his home and property.

"In this case, we evaluate his actions and we found nothing wrong with the actions he took in this case," Vetter explained.

Vetter says police are working to recover the jewelry Roth allegedly stole from the home.

Roth, who is 20, is at the Hamilton County Justice Center. He's charged with three counts of burglary and is being held on a $25,000 bond.