Man with long criminal history makes arrest easy for cops in Sandy

SANDY — Solving cases doesn't get much easier than this.

A man investigators say broke into a home here and took a camera and a wallet, was arrested just a couple of hours later after leaving his own ID at the crime scene.

A woman living near 8600 South and 150 West arrived home about 2 p.m. Monday and heard her sliding glass door open as she entered, said Sandy Police Sgt. Justin Chapman. She went back to her car to get groceries in time to see a man riding off on a bicycle.

When she went back into her house, she discovered a window that was broken, a couple of items missing, and some blood, Chapman said. Detectives believe the burglar cut himself after entering the house through a window he smashed.

When police arrived to investigate, they found the burglar's backpack outside the house next to the window. Inside, they found wire cutters, a large wrench, an ax, items possibly stolen in other burglaries, and the man's identification card.

Salt Lake police were alerted to check out the address listed on the card. They found the man there and arrested him.

Jeffery Grace, 45, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of felony burglary and misdemeanor theft. A check of Utah court records shows Grace's extensive criminal history dates back to at least 1987 and includes convictions for theft, retail theft and burglary.