Five charged in connection with thefts in Jamesburg

Suspects linked to dozens of robberies of Dunkin’ Donuts outlets and other small businesses in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

By: Joseph Harvie
   Five Atlantic County residents were charged Tuesday with racketeering, burglary and money laundering in connection with the robbery of 97 robberies throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania, including five in Jamesburg in September.
   The charges were filed after a nine-month investigation dubbed Operation Coffee Break, lead by the state Division of Criminal Justice, the Edison Police Department and included nearly 50 New Jersey police departments including South Brunswick and Jamesburg, and 14 Pennsylvania police departments, according to the New Jersey attorney general’s office .
   Arthur Reynolds, 44, of Atlantic City, and Joseph Thomas, 41, of Egg Harbor Township, who were identified by the attorney general’s office as the ring leaders, were charged with racketeering conspiracy, racketeering, theft by unlawful taking, and money laundering, all of which are second-degree charges, and the third-degree burglary.
   In addition, Tanika Joyce, 29, of Pleasantville, and Rasheeda Crouch, 28, and Juanita Morgan, 27, both of Atlantic City, were brought up on the same charges as Mr. Reynolds and Mr. Thomas, police said. Also, Tashana Joyce, 24, of Atlantic City, was charged with money laundering, conspiracy to commit burglary, both third-degree offenses, and conspiracy to commit theft by unlawful taking and racketeering conspiracy, both second-degree charges, according to the attorney general’s office.
   The ring is responsible for stealing more than $150,000 in at least 97 burglaries, 91 of which occurred throughout New Jersey and six in Pennsylvania, according to police.
   The group used rental vehicles to get to the burglary sites, entered the sites by breaking locks, pried open cash registers with a crowbar and removed safes from some of the businesses, according to police.
   The ring was linked to the Oct. 16 robbery of more than $10,000 from the Dunkin’ Donuts on Davidsons Mill Road, South Brunswick police spokesman Detective James Ryan said Wednesday.
   During that incident a group of bandits, wearing all black, including ski masks, entered the store at 1:26 a.m. through the drive-through window and took the cash from a safe in the store.
   Police said footage from a surveillance camera showed one of the burglars handing another an axe, which police believe was used to break into the safe, police said.
   When the burglars left the store, they set off a burglar alarm, which police responded to, they said.
   Detective Ryan said that the attorney general’s office was able to link the ring to the robbery by a tracking device that was placed on the car the suspects were driving. He said township police Detective Ron Seaman was working with the state on the case.
   In addition the ring was linked to the robbery of five businesses in Jamesburg between Sept. 16 and 17, according to the attorney general’s office.
   Jamesburg police responded to the first burglary at 10:30 p.m. Sept. 16 when the owner of GC Automotive on John Street discovered that $50 had been stolen from his shop. Police said the burglar entered the building from a door the owner had left unlocked for about an hour or two while he went outside nearby.
   At 9:30 a.m. Sept. 17, Jamesburg police responded to a call from The House of Hope Church office in Jamesburg Center, 200 Buckelew Ave. Police said they found someone had burglarized the church office and nearby Bryant Staffing by forcing open the doors. They also found that someone broke the glass door to Deli & Grill By the Lake and stole $220. All businesses are in the Jamesburg Center.
   At 10 a.m. Sept. 17, Jamesburg police responded to a call from Day Spa Salon on Forsgate Drive, where someone had broken in through a rear door and stole $140 after it closed.
   All of the suspects are being held in Atlantic County Jail. Mr. Reynolds and Mr. Thomas are being held in lieu of $250,000 bail and the other four suspects were also being held in lieu of $150,000 bail.