Police have connected two men from New Jersey to a series of home break-ins that occurred in various locations across North and Central Jersey.
Two men, Mohammad Abdeljawad, 41, of North Bergen, and Elias Abreu, 38, of Jersey City, have been charged with burglary, as announced by the Paramus police on Saturday.
According to court records, the recent charges are related to Bergen, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, and Middlesex Counties.
Paramus Police Chief Robert Guidetti expressed his admiration for the quick response of the patrol officers and the outstanding efforts of the detectives in apprehending these criminals.
Detectives say they uncovered NJ burglary crew
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Abdeljawad and Abreu were reported to have broken into two Paramus homes within a span of 14 minutes on August 13, 2024, as confirmed by the police.
Police have linked a red SUV to both incidents, and their subsequent investigation has connected the duo to a burglary crew that has been targeting homes in the region for the past four months.
Abdeljawad faces charges for two counts of conspiracy to commit burglary and burglary, as well as one count each of conspiracy to commit theft and theft. He is currently being held at Hudson County Jail.
Abreu faced charges for two counts of burglary, two counts of criminal mischief, and one count of theft. The Perth Amboy police arrested him and subsequently transferred him to Morris County Jail.
Extensive criminal history
Abreu has faced previous accusations of breaking into homes in New Jersey.
According to state records, Abreu faced charges of burglary in 2012 and was eventually convicted on a third-degree theft charge.
In April 2020, he faced arrest along with five other individuals. The police accused the group of conspiring to steal packages from a building in Hoboken and subsequently sell them.
In 2014, Abreu faced accusations of threatening a woman at a Jersey City motel by pointing a gun at her face. According to the police, he brandished the weapon during an argument.