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SOUTH BRUNSWICK: Alleged donation thief caught

Police charged a Woodbridge man with allegedly stealing $150 from a charity donation jar at a local diner last week.

By Charles W. Kim, Managing Editor
Police charged a Woodbridge man with allegedly stealing $150 from a charity donation jar at a local diner last week.
   Detectives arrested the suspect, Michael Groze, 55, of Woodbridge, last Thursday afternoon, police said.
   According to police, Mr. Groze stopped at the Jersey Diner on Route 130 on March 23 and ordered some fries and a drink saying he had a long drive ahead of him.
   As he waited by the register, he allegedly picked up a donation jar belonging to the Hugs for Brady Foundation and emptied the money into his jacket pockets.
   The Hugs for Brady Foundation was established to help children battling pediatric cancer and assist in research to ultimately find a cure for the disease.
   Police said the donation jar contained approximately $150 at the time of the theft.
   Mr. Groze then reportedly left before the theft was detected.
   Police watched video surveillance from the restaurant reportedly showing Mr. Groze stealing the money at 5:23 p.m. on Sunday March 23.
   On March 24, South Brunswick Police released two video surveillance images of the suspect who allegedly stole the money.
   At the time, police described the suspect as a white male in his late 40s to early 50s with gray hair and a mustache.
   He also was described as having a significant bald spot on the back of his head and was wearing a blue zipper hooded sweatshirt.
   The arrest last week comes as a direct result of a news story done by a New York television station on Tuesday night.
   The televised report showed the still images along with video of the theft during its 11 p.m. newscast, police said.
   Minutes after the story ran, several tipsters called police to identify the suspect as Michael Groze, police said.
   Police said the investigation determined that Mr. Groze allegedly stole the money to pay a debt to a friend.
   He was charged with one count of theft, and was released on a summons pending his first court appearance.
   South Brunswick Chief of Police Raymond Hayducka credited the assistance of media with solving the case.
   ”Our partnership with the media is critical in developing information,” he said. “When (the station) broadcast the story, Mr. Groze had a million people looking at his image, and several called to identify him. I want to thank the citizens who called and (the station) for helping us solve this case.”
   Anyone with further information on the case is asked to call Detective Ken Herman at 732-329-4000 ext. 7475.