ELKVIEW, W.Va. — A man is in custody for an alleged burglary in Kanawha County.
The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department said Scotty Dennis, 27, was arrested Thursday and charged with robbery for an incident at a Big Fork Road residence in Elkview.
Authorities said a neighbor saw a masked man enter the house through the back door. The neighbor kept the masked man from leaving until Kanawha County sheriff’s deputies arrived on the scene.
Deputies said there was evidence of burglary inside the house, and Dennis allegedly admitted to breaking and entering into the home to steal tools. Authorities said they recovered those tools from Dennis’ vehicle.
Deputies said they learned Dennis was tied to an unrelated embezzlement case — he was out on bond.
Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Sean Snuffer released a statement about the arrest.
“This incident demonstrates the important role our citizens play in helping keep our communities safe,” Snuffer said. “The alert actions of a concerned neighbor, combined with the rapid response and professional work of our deputies, prevented this crime from escalating and resulted in the successful apprehension of the suspect. We encourage residents to remain observant and report suspicious activity to law enforcement.”
Dennis was brought into custody, and is being held in the South Central Regional Jail on $50,000 cash-only bail.