Franklin James Howe
Chattanooga Police arrested Franklin James Howe, 34, for allegedly breaking into a woman’s home and watching TV in the living room.
On Friday evening, police responded to a call from a woman saying a stranger had broken into her home. The victim advised that when she entered her side door, she heard a voice and found a white male sitting in her living room, watching TV and drinking a beer from her fridge.
She also advised 35 prescription pills had been stolen from the bottle in her purse.
When she asked the man what he was doing there, he allegedly responded he had permission to be there because he had a key, and because of the note left on the table.
The man then left the residence and walked west on Paul Kern Street. Upon hearing this, the officer speaking with the victim realized he had passed the suspect on Social Circle sitting in the woods.
The officer returned to that location and put the defendant, who was identified as Howe, in custody.
The police report states that Howe told the officer he had permission to be in the home, that he “believed it to be a safe house.”
The officer transported Howe back to the residence, where the victim identified him as the man she discovered inside her home. She said the key she typically left in her front door deadbolt was missing, and that the note Howe kept referring to was for the person taking care of her dog.
The victim said she did not know Howe and never gave him permission to enter her house.
Howe was arrested on the charge of aggravated burglary (occupied habitation) and placed on a $30,000 bond.