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Burglary

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Man 'Burglarized' Self to Pay Debt, Cops Say

Hopatcong resident staged burglary of his own home, stole girlfriend's cash, police said.

A Hopatcong man told police his home was burglarized and goods, along with cash, was stolen while he was gone, but was caught in a web of lies, finally admitting the entire incident was staged, police said. On May 2, Hopatcong police responded to a home on Mast Road for a reported burglary, Lt. Thomas Kmetz said. When speaking with the resident who made the call, Christopher Kelly, 33, they were told the home was burglarized during an hour-long period in which the residence was vacant, Kmetz said. Kelly said he and another family member went to the mall around 6:30 p.m. and came home an hour later, Kmetz said. When they got home, Kelly said his room was “ransacked,” Kmetz said. Police found a screen door had been cut and an umbrella used …

james

5:19 pm on Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Beachbum, so you're saying all of hopatcong is stupid?   more ›

Father and Son Jailed After Burglary Investigation

Hopatcong police also charge Carlos Spina Jr. with resisting arrest.

A father and son are in the Sussex County jail after police probed a burglary on Santa Fe Trail in Hopatcong. A Santa Fe Trail resident reported a 32-inch flat-screen television missing, Lt. Thomas Kmetz said. According to a witness, 49-year-old Carlos Spina Sr. entered the home on May 10 and left with the television in the front seat of his car, Kmetz said. The witness saw Spina drive the car, with the television inside, around the block to his home on Smokerise Road, Kmetz said. Spina was cooperative when brought to Hopatcong police headquarters, Kmetz said, and granted officers permission to go to his home and retrieve the stolen television from his son's room. However, his son, 20-year-old Carlos Spina Jr., gave officers a "hard time" …

JDBlackhawk

11:07 am on Sunday, May 19, 2013

Wow, evolution has no hold on these primates. Sorry, I didn't mean to insult our furry ancestors.   more ›

Monday, April 22, 2013

Thief Pawned Church Electronics, Police Say

Lake Hopatcong man arrested in Hackettstown on charges of burglarizing church, then selling goods, authorities report.

A Lake Hopatcong man stole hundreds of dollars of equipment from a Hackettstown church and pawned it off over the weekend before being arrested, police said. Hackettstown Police responded to Trinity United Methodist Church on Sunday at 2:15 p.m. for a report of burglary and theft, Sgt. Darren Tynan said. During an investigation it was determined three microphones, a livewire direct box, switch pedal, guitar multi-pedal, four channel video mixer and a DVD recorder were all taken from the house of worship, Tynan said. The goods, with a value of $597, were taken from the church sometime between Saturday and Sunday, Tynan said. Police then found the items at U Cash Inn on Main Street in Hackettstown, and it was learned that Daniel Frederick, …

Jim Copeland

9:42 am on Tuesday, April 23, 2013

The Church (cult) doesnt earn any money and neither does he, Sounds like they were made for each other.   more ›

Burglar Had Crack Pipes, Needle, Police Say

Hopatcong Police aid nearby town with arrest of 20-year-old on burglary and theft warrant.

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Cops Investigating Cash, Boat Ladder Thefts

Two break-ins two weeks apart in Jefferson Township, police report.

Three thefts in the past month are currently under investigation in Jefferson, with two incidents coming in the form of homes being burglarized, Capt. Eric Wilsusen said. On March 18, police responded to New York Avenue for a report of burglary, Wilsusen said. Upon arrival, Officer Sean Krater learned a perpetrator forecefully entered through the front door, entered a bedroom and took $820 in cash, Wilsusen said. A few weeks later, on April 4, a Nolan’s Point Road resident called police to report cash had been stolen from his home, Wilsusen said. When Officer Eric Sudak arrived, he learned someone had forcefully entered the locked home and took “loose cash” in the amount of $200 from the residence, Wilsusen said. The following day, another…

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Man Charged in Burglary of Former Boss’ Home

20-year-old man was arrested after break-in, according to Hopatcong Police.

A 20-year-old Staten Trail man was arrested after he burglarized the home of a former employer, Hopatcong police said. According to Lt. Tom Kmetz, a resident saw Lawrence Mastorelli entering a neighbor’s home. After calling the homeowner and verifying no one was supposed to be in the home patrol was notified, Kmetz said. Kmetz said the witness gave the dispatcher the description of the burglar and his vehicle, which was a silver minivan with a lot of stickers on the back. Sgt. Joseph Magrini caught up with the vehicle on River Styx road by the bridge and stopped it, Kmetz said. According to Kmetz, Magrini saw stolen jewelry in Mastorelli’s lap when he approached the vehicle. Mastorelli was arrested and charged with burglary, theft, …

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Hopatcong Man Admits to Burglary, Having Drugs

Michael Rey will be sentenced in Sussex Superior Court on April 5.

A Hopatcong man has pled guilty to three separate charges and will be sentenced in Sussex Superior Court in April, according to the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office. Michael Rey, 24, pled guilty on Feb. 12 to two counts of possession of controlled dangerous substance and burglary, third degree crimes, and possession of a hypodermic needle, the prosecutor’s office said. Rey admitted to breaking into a car in a secured police impound lot in Hopatcong on July 22, 2012. He was arrested later that day in Hackettstown and was in possession of Suboxone at that time. On August 10, 2012, he was found unconscious in a vehicle in Hopatcong and told police he had used heroin, the prosecutor’s office said. Sentencing is currently scheduled for April 5.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Duo Stole $20K in Goods From Hopatcong Homes, Cops Say

Men from Hopatcong and Denville broke into five homes, exchanged goods for drugs, police report.

Two men were arrested and charged with burglary after stealing more than $20,000 worth of goods from Hopatcong homes, Chief Robert Brennan said. Joseph August, 29, of Denville and Christopher Rooney, 32, of Hopatcong went on a three-day burglary spree in the borough, kicking in back doors to homes and stealing flat-screen televisions, jewelry, change jars, cameras and “other items of value,” Brennan said. Between Sunday, Feb. 10 and Wednesday, Feb. 13, the pair forced their way into five homes on Bonaparte Point, Indiana Trail, Tufts Trail and North Western Way, Brennan said. Most of the items were exchanged in Newark for drugs, Brennan said. A car with the two men in it garnered the attention of Sussex County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Mitch …

Observer

5:50 pm on Friday, February 15, 2013

Good news for a change! Hopatcong would never be a target for a high-end burglary gang. The neighborhood drug addicts, well that’s another story. Lock your homes and your vehicles!   more ›

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Drum Set Stolen in Apparent Hopatcong Burglary

Police said vacant home was locked at the time.

Hopatcong police are investigating an apparent burglary of a Lakeside Boulevard home in which a drum set was stolen. The theft occurred between Dec. 30 and Jan. 6, according to a press release sent by Lt. Thomas Kmetz. The home, which was vacant at the time as its owners are in the process of selling, was locked when a person or persons forced their entry into the house, Kmetz said. While it appeared as though dresser drawers in the bedrooms had been gone through, Kmetz said the drum set was the only thing in the home of value that was taken. The price value of the drum set was not known. Anyone with information on the incident should contact Hopatcong police at 973-398-5000.

Thursday, December 20, 2012

New Burglary Charges Filed Against Hopatcong Man

39-year-old arrested for the third time in a month, allegedly linked to second Mendham Twp. break-in.

Mendham Township Police Chief Steve Crawford said earlier this month if someone commits a crime in Mendham Township, it isn't a matter of if they were going to be caught, but rather when. For Hopatcong resident Anthony Troyano Jr., that seems to hold true. Troyano was arrested Thursday for a third time in a month and linked to a second Mendham Township burglary, according to Lt. Vito Abrusci. Troyano, 39, was originally arrested on Nov. 16 for allegedly burglarizing a home four days prior in Mendham Township. Troyano made bail on those charges but was arrested at a DWI checkpoint in Hopatcong on Dec. 7 and charged with possession of crack cocaine, possession of paraphernalia, driving while suspended and possession of CDS in a motor vehicle…

g. whittaker

10:37 am on Saturday, December 22, 2012

myself and one of my neighbors were among the vehicles that items were stolen from, maybe the police will try to see if he pawned any of those items recenty. Not so much for compensation, just to know if he is the culprit or not, and so he may be punished for that as well   more ›

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