VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — A Virginia Beach man accused of breaking into three homes has been arrested. 24-year-old Drake Hermann is facing a half dozen charges including burglary and grand larceny.
“It’s pretty unsettling,” said Terry Wiggs of Virginia Beach.
That was a feeling Wiggs never felt before about his Virginia Beach home. That changed in late November.
Someone kicked in the back door of his Gladiola Crescent house. The intruder walked around as if he owned the place.
“He walked around like he had been here a thousand times,” Wiggs added.
Nothing was taken from the Wiggs break-in, but the same couldn’t be said for two others in early March.
On March 1, a home on Meadowood Drive was broken into. The suspect came in as the family was upstairs sleeping. Officers say he stole laptops, a Toyota Camry and some clothing, including a black and gray hoodie with white pull strings.
Just days later, a home on Chestwood Drive was hit. Once again the family was sleeping. The suspect stole a wallet.
Police say he then used a credit card to buy $10 in gas at a 7-Eleven. Detectives released video from the store that shows the suspect wearing a black and gray hoodie with white pull strings and driving away in a Toyota Camry.
Officers were able to track down Hermann. 10 On Your Side was told he confessed to the burglary at the Wiggs home.
Detectives say Hermann also posted photos of himself on Facebook wearing the black and gray hoodie with white pull strings.
“He’s a brainiac,” Wiggs said. “I guess he skipped that day of criminal class.”
According to court paperwork, Hermmann’s apartment was searched and officers found a stolen laptop and clothing they say he took from the home on Meadowood.
For victims, the arrest is comforting in a situation where there hasn’t been much comfort to go around.
“It’s just basically an invasion of your privacy,” Wiggs added. “Your house is the one spot where you are supposed to be safe from the outside world.”
Hermann also has pending charges in York County and Newport News.
He will have a preliminary hearing in Virginia Beach May 17. He declined our request for an on camera interview.