Cody Wilkins Left Cell Phone Charging, Faces Multiple Burglary Charges as a Result

(CBS/AP) Police in Maryland arrested a Silver Springs man after finding his cell phone - charging, no less - at the scene of a burglary.

As a result of his blunder, Cody Wilkins has been linked to as many as ten other burglaries that occurred in eastern Montgomery County during a power outage which plagued the area for days.

According to the arrest report, Wilkins was rummaging through a home Friday when the homeowner's son appeared in the room and startled him.

Wilkins jumped out a window and fled; however, he left behind a crucial piece of evidence - that charging cell phone, which police found during their search of the home.

Detectives called one of the contacts in Wilkins' phone and told the female who answered that the owner of the phone had been involved in an incident, and that they needed to know his name, reports The Washington Post.

Detectives went to Wilkins' apartment where he was reportedly attempting to flush jewelry down his toilet.

Using witness accounts, the evidence confiscated from his home, and tread marks left by his boots, police were able to link Wilkins to 10 other break-ins, says The Washington Post.

Police say Wilkins' home was among those in the area that lost power last week when a snowstorm moved through.

Wilkins was brought to a Montgomery County jail on $1 million bond.