Police charge two township youths, 18 and 17
By: Greg Forester
MONTGOMERY Two Montgomery residents were arrested by Montgomery police last week following a two-month investigation into a rash of burglaries in Montgomery, Hillsborough, and Franklin townships during May and June.
Bryant Crawford, 18, and a 17-year-old juvenile, both of the Blawenburg area of Montgomery, were arrested Friday morning and were charged with several counts of burglary, police said. Mr. Crawford was also charged with weapons offenses and third-degree aggravated assault, police said.
The investigation began after a string of burglaries struck the municipalities, during which stereos, cash, GPS systems, iPods, and other valuable items would be taken out of unlocked cars, usually parked at the victims’ homes.
"Thanks to the intelligence and incredible police work of detectives of the Montgomery Police Department we were able to bring these crimes to an end," said Montgomery Police Director Michael Beltranena. "We met with the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office and other agencies that were seeing similar crimes, and we were able to focus on bringing the suspects to justice."
Some watchful residents assisted in the two-month investigation of more than 60 burglaries the suspects are believed to have been involved with, police said.
A Franklin Township resident had seen two individuals attempt to break into a vehicle in the Franklin Park section of the township during the second week of June, according to police. The resident recorded the license plate number of the getaway vehicle and turned it over to police.
Members of the Montgomery Police Department, working as part of the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Burglary Task Force, reported they saw the two individuals enter that same vehicle during the early morning hours of June 22.
While officers looked for the vehicle in the area of Opossum Road in Montgomery Township, a Redfox Court resident saw the vehicle park near his home, and observed the individuals walk up his driveway toward several parked cars, police said.
The Montgomery resident, along with his father, called the police and reported a burglary in progress, and then attempted to detain the suspects.
During a brief struggle, Mr. Crawford pulled a switchblade out of his pants and slashed the arm of the father, police said.
Montgomery Police soon arrived on the scene and arrested Mr. Crawford and the juvenile while the resident received medical treatment from Montgomery Emergency Medical Services.
The juvenile was taken to the Middlesex County Juvenile Detention Center, and Mr. Crawford was taken to Somerset County jail awaiting bail, according to police reports.

