A pest control worker accused of stealing jewelry from more than 10 Summit County homes was charged Monday, Oct. 12, in 3rd District Court with burglary and theft, both second-degree felonies.

Eric Michael Thomas, 26, of Millcreek was arrested Friday, Oct. 9, after a homeowner called 911 when items went missing during a service visit, according to the Park Record, which first reported the arrest as part of the Summit County Sheriff's weekly report.

The homeowner told the Summit County Sheriff's Office that Thomas had been in the home a month earlier and that a diamond necklace disappeared after that visit. When Thomas returned on Oct. 9, the homeowner allowed him inside but grew suspicious after he entered a master bedroom closet and closed the door. The homeowner checked the closet after Thomas left it and found multiple items missing.

The homeowner called 911. Grandchildren were in the home at the time, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

A responding deputy saw Thomas reach into his jacket pocket, remove items and place them in the back of his truck. When asked to retrieve them, Thomas pulled a gold necklace and a large silver coin from under a bucket and rubber floor mat, according to court documents. He then dumped out a container of insecticide and fished out a silver ring, a silver pendant necklace and a gold bracelet.

Asked how often he steals from customers' homes, Thomas told deputies "he does it frequently," according to the affidavit.

Thomas admitted to taking jewelry or small high-value items from more than 10 homes in the area, deputies said. He told them the gold necklace and silver coin found in his truck had been taken from a different client's home earlier that day.

Three invoices for the recovered jewelry totaled close to $15,000, according to the Sheriff's Office. That figure does not include the diamond necklace allegedly taken the previous month or items from other homes.

Deputies served a search warrant on Thomas's home and found additional high-end jewelry he admitted stealing from other clients, KSL reported. Thomas told deputies the stolen items were kept in a box in his desk but refused to explain why he had not sold them.

Prosecutors asked that Thomas be held in the Summit County Jail without bail, citing flight risk. His employer told police Thomas regularly returns to Thailand at the end of each pest-control season. Because the jewelry had not been sold, investigators believe he may have planned to take the items overseas, according to charging documents. Under Utah law, a second-degree felony carries one to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

Thomas's employer is not named in court documents.

The homeowner described a pattern: Thomas would arrive unannounced, spray the exterior and then knock on the door, telling the resident it was their last chance to have the inside treated.

Residents who believe they may be missing items after a pest control visit can contact the Summit County Sheriff's Office.