MPD report: Hungry man burglarizes business, then apologizes to owner

A man who says he was hungry asked to apologize after he broke a window and took a laptop, according to police reports.

Robert Victor Cheatham was arrested on Tuesday after breaking a window and taking a laptop computer at Paws Here 2 on Berryhill Road. 

Cheatham, 34, has been charged with burglary, second degree of an unoccupied dwelling and unarmed, third degree larceny of $300 or more and damage to property, criminal mischief first degree over $200, according to police reports.

He was questioned by Milton Police Officer Dwayne Smith and Officer Yolanda Spears in front of Paradise Furniture on Stewart St. following the incident.

Reports say Cheatham was holding a Hewlett Packard laptop computer at the time.  He told the officers the laptop belonged to his mother.  Milton Police say they asked Cheatham his mother's name and he answered Danielle. After checking the log on page of the computer which read the name Gene with a photo of a kitten, officers made contact with the suspect's mother to find out she didn't own a computer.

While checking several businesses in the general area, the officers made a discovery of a broken window at Paws Here 2.  Reports say glass was strewn across a desk located in the front office.  According to officials, Cheatham told the officers he needed money because he was hungry and had no one to help him.  He said he never went inside the business, just took the computer through the broken window.  He asked if he could apologize to the business owner of Paws Here 2.

Milton business owner, Gene Petrie was contacted and accepted Cheatham's apology.  Petrie stated nothing else was taken from the building.

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: MPD report: Hungry man burglarizes business, then apologizes to owner