As burglaries throughout the region seem to have become a trend, police are making efforts to stop the crimes.
“Unfortunately, you have some people who would rather go out and rob houses than work,” N.J. State Police Sgt. James Heitzman said. “If [these] people would put half their mindset to honest work, they would probably be alright.”
Heitzman talked with the Examiner recently to shed some light on break-ins throughout the area over the summer, and talk about arrests made by state police related to these incidents.
May 27: A homeowner on Valley Road in Roosevelt heard intruders, then found a window screen cut open.
State police employed a K-9 unit to help locate those responsible. They later found the suspects, Timothy Sprague and William McCreery, both of Hunterdon County, and charged them with the burglary, police said.
June 11: A Millstone woman reported a burglary at her home on Arrowhead Way, with jewelry and other items being stolen, police said.
A nearby resident took down the license plate of a car thought to be suspicious, and police tracked down and charged the suspect, Robert Kuhn, of Jackson, with the crime.
June 14: Burglars stole multiple firearms from a Disbrow Hill Road home in Millstone, police said.
Police detectives questioned suspects and executed search warrants to find the stolen goods.
Three men were charged with the burglary — Michael Comar and Lewis Smith, both of Millstone, and Allen Richards of Monroe Township.
July 6: A home on Brookside Road in Millstone was burglarized, and an alert neighbor was able to take down part of the license plate number of a vehicle parked there, police said.
Police charged Todd Ulikowski and Michael Ritz, both of Jackson, and John Rao, of Manchester, with the crime.
July 16: A car parked at Gambler Ridge Golf Course on Burlington Path Road in the Cream Ridge section of Upper Freehold was burglarized.
Surveillance video led police to eventually track down suspects Nicholas Gagliano of Toms River and Gary Lordi of Jackson, who were charged with the break-in, police said.
July 29: A homeowner on Vanker Road in Upper Freehold caught a juvenile in the act of breaking into a family vehicle, and called police.
After a subsequent search of the minor’s room, police recovered a firearm stolen in 2008.
Aug. 1: Burglars hit a home on Rising Sun Terrace in Millstone, but were thwarted after a neighbor took down the plate number of their vehicle.
Police nabbed the suspects heading into Trenton, and were able to recover firearms and other items stolen during other burglaries. Oliver Kabrera and Alexander Lora, both of Trenton, were charged with the crimes, according to police.
Heitzman stressed the importance of keeping a watchful eye out for anything that looks abnormal or suspicious. Err on the side of caution in writing down license plate numbers and other identifying information, he said, as it can make a world of difference in stopping burglars in their tracks.