Burglar fesses up to homeowner

SANDY — A Sandy man who confronted a burglar at his home Wednesday got a surprisingly honest admission, police said.

Officers were called to the home at 11112 S. Alta Heights Drive about 10:30 a.m. for a report of a burglary in progress, said Sandy Police Sgt. Troy Arnold. The homeowner said he had woken up to the noise of someone in the upstairs of the home. He then found a window in the back of the house had been pried open.

"When the homeowner went out to the garage, he encountered the suspect loading items from the home into the homeowner's vehicle, which was parked in the garage," Arnold said.

The homeowner asked the man what he was doing, Arnold said, and got a straight answer: "I am burglarizing your home."

The man did not threaten the homeowner or display any weapons. Instead, he ran from the garage, got into a stolen vehicle and drove away, Arnold said.

The homeowner called police and provided them with the license plate number from the vehicle. A Sandy police officer spotted the car nearby and took the driver into custody.

Wayne Martin Gauger, 43, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of burglary, attempted vehicle theft and possession of a stolen vehicle.