HOWELL – Police have charged a 26-year-old male resident of Howell with burglary, theft, unlawful possession of a handgun, unlawful possession of a weapon and prohibited persons possessing weapons following his alleged involvement in a burglary at a Ford Road property on July 16.
Police said officers initially responded to a report of a burglary at a trailer home on Ford Road. Two loaded handguns, two shotguns and assorted collectible coins were reported stolen.
Detectives Nancy Carroll and David Gilliland led an investigation and developed the 26-year-old man as a suspect. Police said he was a former employee of a dog kennel on the property.
Information was developed that led to the recovery of the shotguns (both Remington 870 12-gauge), which were wrapped in plastic bags and buried 2 feet deep in a horse stall on a farm in neighboring Freehold Township, according to police.
On July 18, the Howell resident was under arrest after a series of covert operations resulted in his apprehension while he was in possession of some of the stolen proceeds from the burglary on Ford Road, according to police.
Police said the stolen collectible coins were sold to a pawn shop in Ewing Township, Mercer County, and were recovered with the assistance of the Ewing Police Department Detective Bureau.
It was learned from the investigation that the Howell man had exchanged the two stolen handguns, .44 and .22 caliber Ruger revolvers, with a drug dealer in Trenton in return for heroin.
On July 19, officers from the Howell Police Investigations Unit along with the New Jersey State Police Troop C CIO Detective Operational Group and Crime Suppression Unit conducted a covert operation in Trenton during which the alleged drug dealer, a 23-year-old male resident of Trenton, was arrested and charged with weapons and drug offenses, according to police.
The Trenton man was charged with drug and weapons offenses including receiving stolen property, unlawful possession of a handgun and distribution of a controlled dangerous substance.
Both stolen handguns, which were still loaded, were recovered at the scene of the Trenton man’s arrest along with stolen hollow point ammunition.
Both suspects were placed in the county jail in their respective county.