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Suspect falls asleep during burglary

By Mark Harrison
The Times-Journal

Published October 14, 2009

Police have closed the case on a catnapping burglar.

Early Sunday morning, deputies charged a father and son after they allegedly broke into a home in the Cartersville community and attempted to steal several items.

Caleb James Wright, 19, of Higdon, and his father Christopher James Wright, 37, of Trenton, Ga. were charged in connection with the crime. Caleb Wright is charged with second-degree burglary, and Christopher Wright is charged with second-degree burglary, possession of burglary tools and unlawful possession of a controlled substance.

The arrests happened after the homeowner’s wife called sheriff’s deputies early Sunday morning, reporting a man passed out on her floor, sleeping underneath the bed of her invalid husband.

Sheriff Jimmy Harris said the sleeping man turned out to be Caleb Wright.

Harris said the woman also called a neighbor, who turned out to be Caleb Wright’s grandfather, to come over to help. He said the grandfather arrived before the police and removed Caleb Wright from the home, later turning him over to police.

Harris said it appears the Wrights broke into the Cartersville home through a side door, at about 2 a.m. Sunday. He said the Wrights, who were both reportedly intoxicated, took about $200, $100 worth of jewelry, car keys and medication, and were about to leave the home when one of the residents woke up and the alleged burglars hid, with Caleb Wright picking the spot underneath the bed.

“After a few minutes, Christopher Wright emerged from hiding and went back outside to wait inside a vehicle for Caleb,” Harris said. “That’s when Caleb passed out. He remained under the bed until the wife woke up around dawn. She went into the room to check on her husband, and found Caleb Wright under the bed. That’s when she called the police and her neighbor, Caleb’s grandfather.”

Officers with the Ider Police Department were called to the scene, and when they arrived, they saw a man walking up and down the road outside the home that turned out to be Christopher Wright.

“He had apparently waited in his vehicle for Caleb to emerge from the house for the past several hours and when he did not come back, Christopher started to look for him,” Harris said.

He said Investigator Mitch Dendy went to the home, where the grandfather turned over the younger Wright. Dendy questioned both Wrights, who were subsequently arrested and taken to DeKalb County jail.

Harris said all of the items taken were returned to the owners and both Wrights remained in jail on Tuesday, Caleb Wright on $30,000 bond and Christopher Wright on $45,000 bond.

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