Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Hopatcong Police seek public's help with information regarding burglary on Brendona Avenue.
Hopatcong Police are asking anyone with information regarding a suspect in a surveillance video to come forward with details, according to Lt. Thomas Kmetz. The video was taken by a homeowner's security system – from the home that was allegedly broken into. A person walking to a white vehicle is suspected of entering the home throug a rear door, and went through the victim's dresser drawers in the bedrooms and guest bedroom, Kmetz said. Nothing was taken from the home, Kmetz said. The incident occured on May 30 at 12:15 p.m. Hopatcong Police are asking residents with information to call 973-398-5000. For questions about this post, email jason.koestenblatt@patch.com.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
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 …
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" …
Monday, April 22, 2013
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, …
Hopatcong Police aid nearby town with arrest of 20-year-old on burglary and theft warrant.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
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
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
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
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 …
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
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.
Eboni Kemp
6:33 pm on Monday, June 10, 2013
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