JACKSON – An investigation into a string of overnight motor vehicle burglaries resulted in the arrest of a Jackson teenager within hours of when the incidents occurred.
Jackson Police Capt. Steven Laskiewicz said police received eight vehicle burglary reports from residents on Hickory Hill Road and Hemlock Hill Road on Oct. 9.
Although nothing was reported stolen from four vehicles, Laskiewicz said more than $50 worth of property and loose change was taken from the other four vehicles.
In one incident, a resident of Hickory Hill Road reported the theft of a wallet that had been left in a vehicle overnight. Hours later the resident reported receiving a fraud alert stating that a credit card had been used at local convenience stores.
Laskiewicz said that on Oct. 12, Officer Kevin Chesney received information which pointed to a 17-year-old male resident of Jackson possibly being involved in the vehicle burglaries. Police are withholding the youth’s name because he is a juvenile.
Laskiewicz said an investigation revealed the teenager was wanted by Ocean County authorities on an aggravated assault charge.
After receiving information regarding the teenager’s possible whereabouts, Chesney and Officer Joe Candido went to a location on Valley Road. The officers located the youth and took him into custody without incident, according to Laskiewicz.
Upon further investigation, Chesney developed information which linked the teenager to the motor vehicle burglaries which had occurred several days earlier.
The teenager was charged with burglary to motor vehicles, theft and fraudulent use of stolen credit cards. All of the complaints were forwarded to the Ocean County Family Court. The youth was processed and taken to the Juvenile Detention Center in Toms River.
Suspicious activity or individuals may be reported to police at 732-928-1111.