Find My iPhone App Leads to Alleged Thief

Woman claims app downloaded to her iPad led police to the guy accused of burglarizing her home

Looking for the person who burglarized your home, there could be an app for that.

A Bucks County woman says the “Find My iPhone” app she downloaded to her iPad led police to the accused thief who police say burglarized a Cobalt Ridge Drive home more than two weeks ago.

Desiree Hughes described what was missing when she came home earlier this month.

"My wedding rings, my school rings, jewelry I've had since seventh and eighth grade, dog tags back from like the late 80s and 90s. All of it. Toe rings, you name it, it was all gone."

Hughes’ iPod and iPad were also gone. The iPad would wind up helping Middletown Township Police track down accused burglar James Houston, Jr.

“They were using it and it tracked it right to the house exactly where my stuff was,” Hughes said.

Houston, who says he is addicted to heroin fessed up to the thefts when he was arrested Tuesday.

“He eventually did confess to the crime,” Middletown Township Lt. John Michniewicz said. “And showed them where the iPad was located -- he had actually thrown it into a storm grate.”

Police say the iPad and other electronics were broken. As for the rest of the items -- Houston told police he sold the jewelry to feed his drug addiction, according to police.

Houston was arraigned Wednesday on burglary and related charges and sent to county jail unable to post 10 percent of $50,000 bail.

Houston’s father says he saw his son in prison and that he is remorseful for what he did, blaming his actions on his addiction to heroin.

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