Man Charged With Burglary In Cartersville

CARTERSVILLE, GA — Bartow County sheriff's deputies arrested a man accused of trying to break into a home the day after Christmas in Cartersville. A deputy was dispatched to a burglary call around 4:07 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 26 at a home on Terry Lane, which is located off U.S. 41/Joe Frank Harris Parkway.

The deputy met with the resident, who said he heard a noise coming from the kitchen area. He ventured into the kitchen to find a man wearing a blue robe standing at a window, according to the incident report released by the Bartow County Sheriff's Office.

The subject made eye contact with the resident, and "took off running and jumped the back fence." According to the report, the kitchen window had been broken, chairs were placed against the window, and a mag-lite flashlight was found on the ground.

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A neighbor approached the deputy, who said he noticed his storage room door was open and a blue robe, blanket and pliers were on the ground. Those items, he told the deputy, did not belong to him, but his mag-lite flashlight was missing. A description of the subject was provided to the resident, and he confirmed that it sounded like a young man who lived next door.

The deputy ventured to the home on Terry Lane and saw the male subject, who refused to answer the door, through the window, the incident report adds. Backup requested, and a Bartow-Cartersville Drug Task Force agency arrived at the scene.

Police eventually apprehended Cartersville resident Albert Joseph Ritch, 24, who was tased and handcuffed at the scene. He was charged with burglary, two counts of criminal trespassing and obstruction. Ritch was booked into the Bartow County Jail and remains held with a $14,500 bond.

Image via Bartow County Jail