South Brunswick police say two men committed three burglaries.
By: Sharlee DiMenichi
Police charged two men with committing three burglaries in South Brunswick in the previous two weeks, South Brunswick police said.
In addition, the Sayreville Police Department says the pair were responsible for burglarizing about 80 homes and businesses throughout central New Jersey and stole tens of thousands of dollars in money and items.
The Sayreville Police Department participated in the investigation.
Michael Crawford, 38, of South River and John Golka, 30, of East Brunswick were charged Friday with burglary by the South Brunswick Police Department after South Brunswick police officers connected them to three Oct. 20 burglaries, said Detective Jim Ryan of the South Brunswick Police Department.
Both men are being held on four counts of burglary at the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center in lieu of $150,000 bail, with no 10 percent option, according to the corrections center Records Department. Mr. Golka violated parole on a previous charge and cannot be released even if he posts bail, according to the Records Department.
Both men have a history of burglaries, police said.
According to police, the men broke into a house on Georges Road between noon and 4 p.m. Oct. 20 and stole a .357 caliber Magnum handgun, which they sold. Police said the pair also threw rocks through the windows of ETD Discount Tire on Route 1 at 4:30 a.m. the same day. The pair did the same thing five minutes later at Sand and Hill Corp. on Route 130, according to police.
Police from Sayreville, North Brunswick, South Brunswick, South River and East Brunswick collaborated to arrest the men, who were staying at motels, one in Edison and the other in Woodbridge, Detective Ryan said.
The burglars stole jewelry, lottery tickets and stereo equipment, among other items, from homes and businesses in South Brunswick, North Brunswick, East Brunswick, South Amboy and Old Bridge, said Detective Sgt. John Zebrowski of the Sayreville police.
The pair broke into businesses and homes using items nearby, such as landscaping rocks, Detective Ryan said. Detective Sgt. Zebrowski said the burglars sought houses with open windows and unlocked garage doors and businesses in isolated areas.
"In these cases, they were looking for easy targets," Detective Sgt. Zebrowski said.
The men stayed at hotels in South Brunswick and nearby towns, moving frequently in an effort to avoid arrest," Detective Ryan said.
Detective Ryan said the number of charges prevented him from determining the sentence the men faced if convicted.