A Lehighton man was caught in the act of burglarizing a Summit Hill home.

Borough police said at 7:12 p.m. on Oct. 10 officers were dispatched to 32 E. Ludlow St. for a reported burglary in progress. The owner of the property received information on his cellphone from a security camera inside the residence that someone broke into the basement area and was trying to steal the water heater.

Police arrived on scene and found Daniel Bernard Engroff, 41, of the 300 block of S. Second Street, in the basement with a headlamp on and several tools in his possession. The wires to the water heater were cut, parts were removed from the heater and several pieces of copper piping were also missing. The door had been forcibly entered.

Engroff told officers he had mistakenly entered the wrong basement, saying he was doing a favor for his friend who lives next door. Police later interviewed the friend who lives next door and he said he had no idea what Engroff was talking about, nor did he ever tell him to work on his water heater.

As a result police charged Engroff with burglary, criminal trespass and possession of an instrument of crime. He was arraigned before a district judge and committed to the county prison in Nesquehoning after failing to post bail.