VIDEO: Man breaks into Covington home, steals several items

COVINGTON, Ky. (FOX19) - Covington police are trying to track down a man who they say made his way into a home on East Third Street and stole thousands of dollars in property.

No one was home at the time, according to the residents.

Homeowner Robbie Ward said at first he thought the man got in through a backdoor that was accidentally left unlocked, but after taking a closer look at his home video, he says he believes the man actually used a pair of heavy-duty tongs to get in.

Ward said the man had to jump over a high fence to get to the back door.

“We keep our dog in the basement during the day, so when I opened the front door and she greeted me, that’s when I knew something was astray," Ward said.

Ward said he also noticed a closet has been ransacked. That’s when he checked the camera in his home and saw someone had been inside.

“He goes upstairs, he ransacked our bedroom," Ward said. “There were clothes everywhere. He went through our dressers, went through our bedside tables — that’s where he found my wife’s computer, my computer, as well as my tablet.”

While the man was upstairs, he wasn’t being recorded, but when he got downstairs, he was.

“That’s where he found our little safe box where he spent most of his time trying to break that open," Ward said. “He got a signed Chewbacca poster that was mounted in a frame, so that stands out. He also stole my ukulele. Neither of those are very valuable.”

Ward says he believes at one point the man was just frantically grabbing anything he could get his hands on and he stuffed most of the items in a pillow cover he got from upstairs.

Ward also says he and his wife sometimes rent out space in their home on the weekends, but they say they’ve never seen this man.

“It’s a violation your home is supposed to be your safe space," Ward said. “So even if he hadn’t taken anything and just walked in and walked out, it’s still a violation and this is coming from some people who open their house for people for short term rentals.”

Ward also said this is a good reminder to just always be aware and remember to not get too comfortable and always lock your doors.

If you think you know the man or know where he is, call Covington police at (859) 356-3191.

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