A sharp-eyed policeman’s stop of a young man in the dark of night led to the arrest of two men now charged with nine and maybe as many as 40 burglaries and thefts from vehicles, police said.
Suspecting a curfew violation, Patrolman William Sampson checked on a man walking on Bridge Street at 4:32 a.m. Saturday. The man was holding up his pants, police said, and an investigation led to Mark Zagajz, 19, of East Camplain Road, Manville, being taken into custody for burglary and theft.
He had GPS units, car chargers and currency on him, police said.
Detective Craig Jeremiah responded at 5:30, and an investigation led to the arrest of Michael R. Cieploch, 20, of South 9th Avenue. Both men were charged with nine counts of burglary that police could identify, said Detective Jeremiah.
Bail was set by Superior Court at $15,000. Both men were lodged in Somerset County Jail.
As of Tuesday morning, Mr. Zagajz was still in jail, but Mr. Cieploch had been released.
As people awoke, police began to receive calls reporting burglary and theft from cars.
The first call came at 8:19 a.m. from White Avenue. Between 10:04 and 10:41 a.m., police got calls from people on South and North Greasheimer streets, two from Raritan Avenue, two from Jasinski Avenue and one each from Newark Avenue, Czaplicki Street and Driscoll Street.
Detective Jeremiah said police were able to tie the suspects to some incidents, but suspects there are more because police have recovered items unclaimed by people who did call, he said.

