A Saddle Brook resident's arrival home early Friday morning scared off a likely burglar who was in the process of ransacking his home, Saddle Brook police said.

When the S. Leswing Avenue resident arrived home at approximately 2 a.m. he found his dogs acting strangely and his upstairs bathroom window open, police said.

While investigating upstairs, the man told police he heard a loud noise come from the main floor. Upon returning to the main floor, he found his portable bar table knocked over and the sliding glass door to his backyard open, police said.

As the man followed the the trail of clues into his backyard, he heard what appeared to be the sound of someone scaling his fence and immediately called police, Chief Robert Kugler said.

Saddle Brook police officers arrived shortly and set up a perimeter with the assistance of officers from Fair Lawn, Elmwood Park, Rochelle Park and a county K-9 unit, but turned up nothing.

Police said the home did not appear to have been forcibly entered and no items have been reported missing.

Friday's attempted burglary is just the latest break-in suffered by a township resident in recent weeks.

On Tuesday night, burglars made off with approximately $6,000 worth of jewelry and a large sum of cash from a Legregni Street home, police said.

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