SOUTH BRUNSWICK — An Irvington man who is allegedly responsible for burglaries and thefts over the past two years has been charged by South Brunswick police.
Momodu Rogers, 38, had reportedly used an elaborate scheme to enter a business on Chris Court and steal thousands of dollars in metal, according to a statement prepared by the South Brunswick Police Department.
The first incident was reported in November 2013. At the time, there were no signs of forced entry, and the warehouse alarm had never been activated, police said. The suspect was able to take more than $40,000 in copper bars over a month’s time without being detected.
On Sept. 25, 2015, police were again summoned to the company on a report of thousands of copper bars stolen. As in the first case, there were no signs of forced entry to the warehouse, and the alarm system had never been activated, officials said.
Detective Mike Pellino and Detective Dennis Yuhasz reviewed surveillance tapes from area businesses and observed an SUV near the warehouse in the overnight hours. Detectives located Rogers operating a Dodge Durango in Union Township on Oct. 19, according to reports.
Detectives allegedly linked Rogers to the warehouse. Their investigation had determined that Rogers purportedly would scale up 30 feet on a nearby dust collector and then jump to the warehouse roof.
He would then fit himself through an exhaust fan and lower himself into the warehouse. In the warehouse, he pushed the metal bars out a small window and exited via the roof so as not to set off the alarm, police allege.
Rogers is charged with two counts of burglary and two counts of theft. He was lodged in the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center on $10,000 bail.
“This suspect tried an unconventional method to commit his crime, but the determination and perseverance of the detectives is what tracked him down. He could avoid setting off the alarm but not avoid our department following all the leads. This is an example of the great police work our department does every day,” Police Chief Raymond Hayducka said.