By: Richard L. Smith
Authorities have arrested Gabriel Bay, 56, of Milltown, New Jersey, in connection with multiple commercial burglaries that took place across Somerset County between December 3 and December 16, 2024.
The arrest was the result of a joint investigation by the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office and several local law enforcement agencies.
According to a statement from Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald, the first incident occurred on December 3 at approximately 2:05 a.m.
Surveillance footage captured a suspect using a crowbar to break into a convenience store on U.S. Highway 206 in Bedminster.
The individual stole about $267 from the cash registers before fleeing.
Later that morning, at 2:45 a.m., surveillance footage showed the same suspect—now carrying a hammer—breaking into three businesses on Washington Valley Road in Warren Township, taking cash and a gaming console.
The crime spree continued on December 14, when police in Branchburg Township responded to reports of a suspicious individual throwing objects at a business window on U.S. Highway 202.
Officers arrived to find the front glass door shattered and a man inside. The suspect fled through the back door, having stolen $415 from the register.
Just days later, on December 16, another series of burglaries occurred. Surveillance video from Martinsville Road in Basking Ridge captured a suspect breaking into three storefronts, stealing $120 in cash and tools.
That same morning, a suspect attempted to break into an establishment on Washington Avenue in Green Brook using a hammer, then successfully entered a nearby restaurant, damaging a file cabinet lock.
A collaborative investigation involving the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Burglary Unit and multiple police departments identified Gabriel Bay as the suspect.
On December 17, Bay was arrested in Milltown without incident and charged with multiple offenses, including burglary, theft, criminal mischief, and possession of burglary tools.
According to the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, Bay was processed at the Somerset County Jail before being transferred to the Morris County Jail, where he faced additional charges related to burglaries in Bedminster, Bernards, and Green Brook Townships.
Authorities continue to investigate and urge anyone with information to contact the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office or local law enforcement.