Any area resident who might be missing jewelry from a recent string of burglaries should contact the Huron County Sheriff's Office.

"Early last week deputies and special deputies sorted around 1,300 pieces of jewelry recovered from the home of Matthew Fortner in the city of Norwalk," Sheriff Dane Howard said.

Fortner was staying at a Summit Street location.

"The recovered jewelry was sorted and photographed for identification purposes," Howard said. "Copies of photographs have been sent to adjacent counties where similar burglaries have occurred."

The burglaries took place several Huron County townships and municipalities, along with Erie, Sandusky and Seneca counties.

"Residents from Erie, Sandusky and Seneca counties have identified some of the jewelry items collected as belonging to them," the sheriff said.

"In Huron County, burglary victims from Wakeman, Willard, Bellevue and Monroeville have been to the sheriff's office and identified jewelry as belonging to them," he added.

Fortner is being held in the Erie County Jail on multiple counts of burglary.

"We anticipate burglary charges being filed against persons of interest in Huron County when the investigation is completed and forwarded to the prosecutor," Howard said.

The sheriff commended Detective Bill Duncan for his work on the case.

Daniel F. Wirsche, 39, of Sandusky, also was arrested in this burglary case.

"We still have a good deal of evidence not identified that's been stolen from people's homes," Howard said.

The sheriff added any resident looking to identify jewelry can call Duncan or Detective Josh Querin at (419) 663-2828.

"There were three pillow cases full of jewelry. ... Both cosmetic and high-valued pieces," Howard said.