Police: Serial Burglars Stole More Than $2 Million

Police from several agencies, including Moorestown, collaborated to bring down a pair of Medford men accused of pulling off more than 20 burglaries across South Jersey.

The arrest of two Medford men, accused of stealing more than $2 million worth of goods in a series of “high-end” burglaries across South Jersey, has cleared eight unsolved cases from the Moorestown Police Department’s books. Police arrested Darius Gittens, 52, and Geoffrey Petit, 47, on Friday after a months-long investigation into 27 residential burglaries spanning several of the ritzier communities in Burlington and Camden counties, according to a release from Medford Police. Police from Moorestown, Medford, Mount Laurel, Evesham, Voorhees and Haddonfield and the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office pooled their resources and formed a task force to investigate the crimes, eventually leading them to Gittens and Petit, the release stated. On …

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Two Arrested for Local Burglaries Smacked with More Charges

The duo have now been linked to eight burglaries in the area, according to authorities.

Two people arrested last month for burglary and theft in Moorestown, Cinnaminson and Mount Laurel can now add three additional charges to their records, Cinnaminson Police announced today. Robert A. Hutton, 24, of the unit block of Browning Road in Moorestown, and Elaina M. Decker, 20, of the 200 block of Amberfield Drive in Mount Laurel, were arrested May 3 in connection with several burglaries, including three in Moorestown. Police said they are now connected to three other burglaries in Cinnaminson: one on the 100 block of Parry Road that occurred April 15, a March 14 burglary from the 2900 block of New Albany Road, and another on the 2500 block of Pine Street back in October 2011. The additional charges are burglary, theft and …

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Two More Arrested in Burglary Ring Investigation

Moorestown Police continue their investigation into a series of burglaries that hit homes across the area.

Moorestown Police have arrested two more people, both from Moorestown, in connection with a series of local residential burglaries. Police arrested Barbara A. Norman, 20, of Pleasant Valley Apartments, Monday on charges of receiving stolen property from burglaries across the area, as well as theft by deception, according to a report. She was sent to Burlington County Jail in lieu of bail. Earlier today, police arrested Gavin Pierce, 20, of West Third Street, and charged him with receiving stolen property from burglaries. Pierce was also sent to Burlington County Jail in lieu of bail. Moorestown Police Sgt. Lee Lieber said Norman and Pierce were working with Robert A. Hutton, of Moorestown, and Elaina Decker, of Mount Laurel, who would …

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Ben McDonald

11:55 pm on Friday, November 16, 2012

I agree with you man!!!! Every last word a few of the people did not deserve any charges!!!!!!!!!!! Be careful man lock your door!!!!   more ›

Police Ask for Public's Help in Solving Recent Rash of Burglaries

Moorestown isn't the only community experiencing a burglary spike, according to police.

A recent spike in residential burglaries has not been confined to Moorestown, according to police. Speaking before township council Monday, Police Director Harry Johnson said Moorestown typically averages between three to four burglaries a month, which includes everything from residential burglaries to garage burglaries and vehicle thefts. From October to January, there were 17 burglaries in town, according to Johnson, many of them residential. There have also been a number of attempted burglaries, including two this past weekend.  Similar spikes during the same period in surrounding communities like Cinnaminson (28), Maple Shade (20) and Mount Laurel (38) have local police pooling their resources to investigate. But Sgt. Lee Lieber said …

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Under the Radar

Opinion: The Five-Finger Discount

Whether you're lifting candy bars from convenience stores or breaking into people's homes, crime doesn't pay.

Growing up in my South Jersey world of benign neglect, one rite of passage was learning how to shoplift. Because our mothers so often left us in the care of older siblings who were loathe to have us tagging along, these older brothers and sisters were the ones who double-dog dared us to pocket a Hershey bar from Ben-Dor’s Pharmacy on Haddon Avenue, or a Sky-Bar from Cumberland Farms. I don’t remember being particularly skilled at the sleight of hand it took to pocket a candy bar, but I was willing to give it a go if it meant some "cred" with my elders. Outside, when I pulled a mashed Almond Joy from my pocket, the gang of older sibs and pals jostled me admiringly. Noogies were given. I wasn’t a baby anymore—I was one of them.  Fast forward…

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Police Investigating Two Attempted Burglaries

Moorestown has seen several burglaries and attempted burglaries in the last month.

Moorestown Police are investigating two attempted burglaries that were reported Saturday. A resident of the 500 block of Elm Street returned home Saturday, after being away since Jan. 6, to find someone had tried to break into their home by unsuccessfully prying at three doors, according to police. And a resident of the unit block of Landing Court returned home at 6:30 p.m. Saturday and discovered someone had tried to break in by smashing a French door, which set off a burglar alarm that deterred the crime, police said. Police have been busy investigating a number of burglaries over the course of the last few weeks. Police urge anyone who sees suspicious activity to call them at 856-234-8300. If you've seen something or have information …

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UPDATE: Another Daytime Burglary in Moorestown

Burglars hit the same neighborhood twice last weekend.

UPDATE: Moorestown Police have identified a person of interest in connection with the burglary on Devon Road Monday. Police said a woman was seen by a passing motorist knocking on the front door of the burglarized home around the time of the burglary. The woman was described as a white female in her 20s, with golden-brown hair in a ponytail, wearing gray sweatpants. Anyone with information is asked to contact the police department at 856-914-3092. _____________ Moorestown Police are investigating another residential burglary on the 500 block of Devon Road that occurred between 11:30 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. Monday. The burglar(s) removed a screen from a rear window while the residents were out and stole jewelry, a Kindle, and a notebook computer…

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Police Investigate Another Residential Burglary

The burglary Wednesday follows a pair of break-ins over the weekend.

A burglar broke into another Moorestown home during the day Wednesday while the residents were at work and stole jewelry from their bedroom, Moorestown Police said.  The burglar broke into the home, on the 500 block of Middlesex Drive, by forcing open a garage window and then kicking in the door into the house, according to police.  This latest burglary follows a pair of residential break-ins over the weekend.  Police said they're working diligently to solve these cases and are cracking down to prevent more from occurring. Sgt. Lee Lieber said they're hoping with the addition of four new part-time officers the department can refocus full-time officers on patrolling neighborhoods. Contact the police department at 856-914-3092 if you have …

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Moorestown Police Issue Warrants for Burglaries

One suspect is in custody in PA, while another is wanted and at large, police say.

A Willingboro man accused of burglarizing a Cove Road home in September was arrested in Bensalem, PA, last week, according to Moorestown Police. Sean J. Davalos, 43, whose last-known address is Blueberry Lane in Willingboro, was taken into custody by Bensalem Police last Friday. Moorestown Police had issued a warrant for Davalos arrest in connection with a Sept. 19 burglary. He is currently being held on a detainer in Bucks County Prison awaiting extradition to New Jersey, Moorestown Police said. Moorestown Police have also issued a warrant for Gary A. Hinton, 41, last-known address the 200 block of North Grove Street, East Orange, for a burglary at HEARx, 210 Young Ave., and an attempted burglary at Caryn Max Salon, 212 Young Ave., on Dec…

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The Week in Review

A week bookended by an unusually active Mother Nature had plenty of other news in between.

How’s that R.E.M. song go? “It starts with an earthquake …” Well, it’s not the end of the world. And technically, the week didn’t start with an earthquake. It started with the township council approving resolutions to put referendums on the ballot that could—if passed by voters—allow alcohol sales in Moorestown for the first time in almost a century. Then there was an earthquake. It shook people’s beds and cars, knocked over chairs and books, and forced some evacuations. But more than anything it made people realize, “Hey, we can have these?” A Trenton man was carjacked, beaten, shot and then dumped in Moorestown. Local police investigated a string of burglaries targeting the elderly. A former Quakers star signed with a new NFL football …

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