Clecy Thompson

A Butler man pleaded guilty to theft Wednesday, after being charged with burglarizing an ex-girlfriend's house.

Clecy E. Thompson, 28, pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor charge before President Judge Thomas Doerr in Butler County Court.

The plea agreement calls for probation, restitution, fines and community service. He is scheduled for sentencing Thursday.

Thompson was initially charged with felony burglary, theft, misdemeanor defiant trespass and loitering and prowling at night after an incident in the 500 block of Virginia Avenue on Jan. 8, 2017.

The theft charge to which he pleaded was later changed to a misdemeanor and the remaining charges will be dismissed as part of the plea.

Butler police said two 11-year-old boys were in the home and called police after hearing noise downstairs. One of the boys recognized Thompson as the intruder, documents said.

When officers arrived at the home at 2:45 a.m., Thompson had already loaded two large television sets and other items into a sport utility vehicle.

Police said they could see “the shadow of a person” through the curtain in one of the downstairs rooms. Seconds later, officers heard a “loud crash” from the rear of the house.

They spotted a man, later identified as Thompson, running and jumping a fence into a neighbor's back yard. Police said he climbed other fences including one that surrounds Butler Area Sewer Authority property at the end of Negley Avenue.

Police chased and later searched for the suspect but could not find him.

Police also accused Thompson of stealing surveillance equipment at the house.