SAXONBURG — Plain old-fashioned shoe leather helped police quickly solve a restaurant burglary.

The suspect's shoe was a big help, too.

Saxonburg Police said they tracked down Chad M. Hildebrand in part by using a shoe he left behind in his getaway after allegedly breaking into Kelley's Family Restaurant on West Main Street.

Hildebrand, 20, of Saxonburg later allegedly confessed to the Oct. 7 break-in. He was arrested last week and is being held in the Butler County Prison on $30,000 bail.

Police were notified of the crime about 10:30 p.m. after a neighbor reported hearing a noise coming from the restaurant.

A patrol officer happened to be nearby, according to Saxonburg Police Chief Joe Beachem, and he arrived in a minute or two.

While the patrolman and a Buffalo Township police officer called to assist walked around the restaurant, another neighbor cried out, “He's on the roof.”

The unknown burglar jumped off the restaurant's roof, about 10 feet to the ground.

“He landed and rolled in one motion,” Beachem said, “and took off running. He ran right out of one of his shoes.”

The shoe was a Tredsafe brand.

Investigators checked the restaurant and would subsequently determine that the burglar broke a basement window to get inside. He made his way up the steps and onto the second floor.

But he apparently did not have time to take anything.

“I think that because of the neighbor (calling 911) and the close proximity of our officer,” Beachem said, “the burglary was interrupted.”

Police canvassed the neighborhood and got a few more clues, including a description of the suspect.

The crook's recovered shoe also proved to be key in solving the crime.

“That brand is non-slip,” Beachem said, “and is known to be used in the restaurant and food service industry.”

Beachem got on the station's computer and began scouring past reports. He soon came up with Hildebrand's name.

The defendant matched the suspect's description and the chief remembered him from an incident two years ago.

“I also knew he previously worked at a restaurant (in the borough),” Beachem said.

He would not identify the restaurant but noted that it was not Kelley's.

Police on Thursday went to Hildebrand's apartment on Main Street. The defendant was sitting on the steps. They confronted him about the Oct. 7 break-in.

“He said, 'Yeah, you got me. It was the dumbest thing I ever did,'” Beachem said. The alleged burglar admitted that he was drunk at the time, according to investigators, and that he did it because he needed money.

Police took him to the station where they say he waived his Miranda rights and gave a formal confession. He also was questioned about his other shoe.

“He said he threw it away, into a wooded area,” Beachem recounted.

Additionally, Hildebrand told police that he was working at a restaurant in Butler Township.

He was arraigned that day on charges of burglary and resisting arrest. His preliminary hearing is set for Wednesday at the office of District Judge Sue Haggerty.