By Evan Allen, Globe Correspondent
Wellesley police are investigating a series of attempted break-ins early Friday, several of which appear to be linked based on footprints left in the snow.
The house breaks occurred a short time before a homeless man was was arrested in Newton while allegedly trying to break into a home on Grove Street, not far from the Wellesley border.
Wellesley police Leiutenant Marie Cleary said authorities are investigating whether that suspect is also tied to the Wellesley incidents.
"At this point, it doesn?t look like anything was taken,? Cleary said, noting that most of the houses were empty and at least one was up for sale.
The events began at about 1:55 a.m. on Friday, when an Orchard Street resident called Wellesley police to report hearing glass breaking and seeing footprints in the snow near his home. Responding police officers found a screen cut and a basement window broken open. The suspect was not able to get inside.
Police followed the footprints in the snow to another Orchard Street home. The home had an open door, and it appeared that the suspect had been inside, but it was unclear if anything had been taken, Cleary said.
Police continued following the footprints to a vacant home on Washington Street that had also been entered, but was empty. Police found a slashed screen on the porch of a Glen Road home, but again, found that the suspect had not entered the home.
In total, Cleary said, there were two attempted break-ins on Orchard Street, three on Ledyard Street, four on Glen Road, and one on Sylvan Road. There were footprints visible at St. John?s Church on Glen Road, she said, but it did not appear that the suspect had tried to get inside.
Meanwhile, Weston and Newton police had joined in the search. As police were following the footprints and searching the Wellesley neighborhood, there was a call reporting a break-in just before 3 a.m. on Grove Street in Newton.
When Newton police arrived, they found Luke Bougas, 23, allegedly inside the home and in possession of several articles belonging to the homeowner, police said.
Bougas, who is homeless, was arraigned Friday in Newton District Court, where he pleaded not guilty to charges of unarmed burglary, malicious destruction of property over $250, possession of a class C drug, and larceny of a drug, court officials said.
Bougas was being held on $4,000 cash bail.
Wellesley police are also investigating two break-ins reported on Jan. 15 and 16 on Lowell Road and Great Plain Ave. In both cases, the homes were empty. In one, small items were taken from the bedroom while expensive items and cash were left in plain sight. In the other, nothing was taken.
