Police: Accused Burglar Posed As Home Buyer

Image: Erik David Johnson (PWCPD)

The Prince William County police arrested an Ashburn man Tuesday for allegedly stealing jewelry and other items at open houses and trying to sell them to pawn brokers around Loudoun County.

Erik David Johnson, 46, of 42861 Genuine Reward Court, has been charged with four counts of burglary and four counts of grand larceny, according to a police report, and other charges are pending. He's being held without bond at the Prince William-Manassas regional jail, and his next date in court is April 7.

Johnson is charged with a series of burglaries at homes for sale in Gainesville, which allegedly began in August, the police said. Gainesville is an unincorporated area in Prince William County, west of Manassas around the intersection of Interstate 66 and Route 29.

While investigating the thefts, detectives from the Prince William Police Department's Property Crimes Unit found that Johnson had attended several real estate open houses and provided false information to tour the homes.

He then allegedly stole more than $15,000 worth of jewelry, prescription medications and electronics from the houses that he later tried to pawn at several Loudoun businesses, the police said.

On Tuesday, police searched Johnson's home in Ashburn, where they recovered evidence of the larcenies. Johnson was located and arrested without incident later that day, the police said.