Police in Rhode Island say a New Jersey man who broke into Taylor Swift's beachfront mansion took his shoes off because he wanted to be polite.

Westerly police who responded to the home Friday just after 5 p.m. found Richard Joseph McEwan, 26, of Milford, inside.

According to Police Chief Shawn Lacey, McEwan wasn't wearing shoes. When asked why, he said he was always taught to take his shoes off when entering someone's home to be polite.

He's charged with breaking and entering and willful trespassing. Online court records did not list a defense attorney.

Lacey says his officers have had to deal with several suspicious people at the singer's home, but this is the first time he remembers someone making it inside.

He says no one was home at the time of the break-in.