BROWN COUNTY (NBC 26) -- A De Pere man has been arrested in connection to a string of burglaries that authorities said targeted one home in Ledgeview over the summer.
Earlier this week, the Brown County Sheriff's Office released photos of suspects in the burglaries. The Sheriff's Office said they have now identified about 20 people who entered the property. Many of the suspects came forward on their own since the photos were released, according to the Sheriff's Office.
Seth Owens appeared in court Friday on three charges of burglary as party to a crime. According to a criminal complaint, he saw images of himself in the Sheriff's Office's post on Facebook and decided to turn himself in. The criminal complaint showed a statement attributed to Owens, in which he stated a friend told him the house was abandoned. According to the criminal complaint, he said he went into the house about three times and stole multiple items, including clothes, toys, cigar boxes, and about 100 books.
In the criminal complaint, Owens stated that he stole the items because he was "kind of desperate".
"I was broke and desperate at that point. I am into photography and needed property for photo props. Taking photographs is a hobby of mine and I have spent thousands of dollars on it so I was just trying to save some money having to buy the props," the statement says in the criminal complaint.
The criminal complaint also states that Owens cooperated with investigators in identifying other suspects caught on security images.
According to the criminal complaint, Owens writes in the statement that he was sorry for what he did and he wanted to help the homeowner clean up the house and repair the damage.
The Sheriff's Office stated Friday in a news release that the burglarized property has been described as “spooky” which they say has contributed to the number of the burglaries at the place.
"We also want to warn those who are curious about this 'spooky house' to stay away," the Sheriff's news release states. "Not only is it illegal to enter, it is also dangerous. There are areas of the property that are not stable and other hazards that could result in serious injury or death. "
The Sheriff's Office said the property is overgrown and in need of maintenance.
