Burglar Who Ranted About 'Dead People' Arrested: Petaluma Police

PETALUMA, CA — A homeless Petaluma man was arrested this week on suspicion of burglary and attempted burglary after Petaluma Police Homeless Outreach Support Team (HOST) officers recognized him in surveillance camera footage. Following an attempted burglary reported Tuesday morning on Spanish Bay Court, HOST officers located Jeramy Patton, 39, inside a condemned structure located in the 500 block of Corona Road and placed him under arrest.

According to police, Patton is suspected of committing a residential burglary that was reported at 6:24 a.m. July 17 at a home in the 1700 block of Silverado Circle. A woman who lives at the home reported she was awoken by a noise in their backyard and when she looked out an upstairs window, she saw a man in the yard. She told police the man walked toward the side yard, at which time her home security alarm went off indicating an exterior door to the home had been opened.

A second alarm sounded, indicating an interior door of the residence on Silverado Circle had been opened, police were told. At that time, the resident recalled yelling from the second story, telling whomever had entered the home to leave. The unknown man in her home reportedly responded to her by "making unusual statements about seeing dead people in the neighborhood," police said.

The woman then woke up her husband, who went to confront the burglar, police said.

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The husband told police he chased the suspect as he ran out of the home and down the street, but stopped pursuing him when he noticed the suspect was armed with a golf club.

The burglar was last seen in the area of Spy Glass Road and the creek path along Satori Creek, police were told.

The residents described the suspect as 5-foot-11-inch man between 20 and 30 years old with dark hair who was wearing a flat-billed baseball hat, a green windbreaker and blue jeans.

Police said surveillance footage from a neighbor’s residence captured the suspect running out the front door of the Silverado Circle home with what appeared to be a golf club.

"Nothing appeared to have been taken from the residence during the burglary and the subject’s motivations were unknown," police said.

About two weeks later, at 7:57 a.m. Tuesday, July 31, an attempted burglary was reported at a home in the 100 block of Spanish Bay Court. According to police, the residents captured surveillance camera footage of an unidentified man trying to enter their home through the front door.

Officers responded and searched the area extensively but did not find the suspect.

Officers noted, however, that the suspect seemed to match the description of Silverado Circle burglar.

When Petaluma HOST officers reviewed the video footage from the cases, they "immediately identified the suspect from numerous prior contacts as Jeramy Patton of Petaluma," police said.

After locating Patton later that day, officers interviewed him — at which time Patton admitted to his involvement in the burglaries, police said.

Police allege Patton was also found in possession of a golf club as well as clothing matching the clothing worn by the burglar.

Patton was being held Thursday in lieu of $50,000 bail pending a court appearance.

Photo courtesy Petaluma Police Department