Edmonds police on the trail of a suspected residential burglar Friday morning had a simple but effective strategy for catching the alleged thief: After finding a stolen shotgun hidden behind a building, police waited for the suspect to retrieve it — and he did.

It all began at 9:14 a.m. Friday, when police were dispatched to a home burglary in the 7500 block of 212th Street Southwest. According to Edmonds police spokesperson Sgt. Mike Blackburn, responding officers discovered the back door of the home had recently been pried open, but the suspect had fled prior to their arrival. Upon further investigation, police determined that the burglar had stolen a number of items from the home, including a computer, prescription medication and a 12-gauge shotgun.

Police searched the surrounding area for the suspect and also contacted neighbors and business owners in the hope that someone had seen the burglar, Blackburn said. Through their efforts, officers developed a suspect description and — just as important — they located some of the victim’s stolen property, including a shotgun hidden behind a nearby business.

Believing that the burglar might return to retrieve the hidden property, officers remained in the area to keep watch. A little more than an hour later, police observed an individual frantically searching through the bushes where the shotgun had been hidden.  A 50-year old Lake Stevens man was taken into custody without resistance. In his possession were other items belonging to the victim. He was also wearing the victim’s coat, which had been stolen from the home.

During the interview that followed, the man confessed to the crime, Blackburn said. He was booked into the Snohomish County Jail on criminal charges of residential burglary and narcotics possession.