Harrington grew up in Pennington
By John Tredrea, Special Writer
Ryan Thomas Harrington, a 25-year old Oakhurst man who grew up on South Main Street in Pennington Borough, is being charged with burglary and theft counts in connection with a mini crime spree in the Valley last week.
Mr. Harrington allegedly burglarized and stole a wallet from an Abey Drive residence while the wife of the family and her three children were home last Thursday.
A short time later, he allegedly stole cash from the lottery cash register in the Exxon station at the intersection of state Route 31 and West Delaware Avenue, according to Pennington police Sergeant First Class Steve Friedman.
Mr. Harrington also allegedly broke into a cash register at another gas station the day before, stealing $60.
In addition to being charged with two counts of burglary, two counts of theft and possession of drug paraphernalia — several hypodermic needles were found in his car — by Pennington police, Mr. Harrington, who is being held in the Mercer County Correction Center on $15,000 full cash bail, has also been charged with one count of burglary and one count of theft by the Hopewell Township police, who say he pried open a cash register in another Exxon station at the Pennington Circle and stole about $60.
Sgt. Friedman said that at the time of his arrest early Thursday evening, Mr. Harrington was wanted on a Monmouth County warrant for violation of parole.
Sgt. Friedman said Pennington officer Douglas Pinelli was dispatched to the Abey Drive residence at 6:07 p.m. on the 20th.
"The husband of the family called us and said that, as he pulled into his driveway, an unknown white male came walking out of his house. The husband confronted the man, who said he was looking for Elm Street and said ‘Mary sent me.’"
At that point, the man drove away, and the husband went in to check on his family. They were all fine; none of them had known the house had been burglarized, as they were in another part of the dwelling when Mr. Harrington allegedly entered the home through an unlocked washing room door and took a Louis Vuitton wallet, valued at $400, from a counter.
"While officer Pinelli was at the house taking the report, we were dispatched to the Exxon station at Route 31 and Delaware Avenue, on a report that an attendant there was holding a man whose description matched that of the man given us by the Abey Drive resident," Sgt. Friedman said.
Lt. Chris Kascik of the Hopewell Township Police Department said Monday that township officers also had been dispatched to the Exxon station, where Mr. Harrington was arrested by township officer James Hoffman.
Sgt. Friedman said "Pennington officer Pinelli spoke to the attendant who said that, while he was working outside by the gas pumps, he saw Mr. Harrington take money from the station’s lottery register."
Sgt. Friedman said Mr. Harrington gave police permission to search his car, a Hyundai Santa Fe that was parked at Uncle Ed’s Creamery, next door to the station.
"The missing wallet from Abey Drive was found in the car, along with several hypodermic needles," Sgt. Friedman said. "Nothing was missing from the wallet. The car has been seized for forfeiture because it was used in a crime."
In addition to being charged with two counts of burglary, two counts of theft and possession of drug paraphernalia by the Pennington police, Mr. Harrington has been charged with one count of burglary and one count of theft by the Hopewell Township police, Lt. Kascik said.
He said that, after investigating the case, they charged Mr. Harrington with allegedly prying open a cash drawer at the Exxon station at the circle the afternoon of Nov. 19, the day before the incidents at Abey Drive and the other Exxon station.
"An employee realized later, some time after Mr. Harrington had left, that the cash drawer had been tampered with and that $60 was missing," Lt. Kascik said.
Sgt. Friedman urged all residents to exercise caution and to "keep your doors locked."