It appears as if even criminals weren’t immune from the pain caused by the massive power outages which have hit the D.C. area in the last week: Montgomery County Police arrested Cody Wilkins of Silver Spring on last week for a string of burglaries around the county. Wilkins apparently had hit at least nine homes in Olney, Aspen Hill and north Silver Spring in December and January by entering through a back door and window; he mainly targeted jewelry and electronics.

So how did police unravel Wilkins’ web? When they responded to the last home Wilkins broke into on the 13700 block of Lockdale Road in Silver Spring, they found his cell phone on the scene, then called a recent number to confirm his address. Wilkins allegedly brought the phone into the home to charge it because his residence didn’t have any electrical power, and forgot to take it with him when he left.

Wilkins has been charged with several counts of burglary and theft.