Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson, Chief of County Detectives John W. Fodor, and Franklin Township Chief of Police Richard A. Grammar announced that six individuals have been arrested and charged with operating an organized retail theft ring.
Officials say those persons arrested and charged are David Rubin, 59, of Somerset, Lisa Rubin, 54, of Somerset, Sheryllee Rubin, 58, of Somerset, Batsheva Rubin-Rivera, 23, of New Brunswick, Andre Watts, 29, of North Brunswick and Dunia Patricia Hernandez, 31, of Somerset.
Prosecutor Robertson stated that detectives assigned to the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Burglary Task Force conducted a seven-month investigation into the organized retail theft ring which led to the arrests and charging of the aforementioned six defendants.
Detectives developed information that the defendants were knowingly buying stolen merchandise from shoplifters who targeted stores such as Home Depot, Lowes, Target, Walmart, Bed Bath & Beyond and others. The investigation revealed that the shoplifters exchanged the stolen merchandise for United States currency at Everything Wireless, located at 665 Hamilton Street in Franklin Township. The defendants then offered the stolen merchandise for resale to the public, either at Everything Wireless or over the Internet.
According to authorities, on June 4th, members of the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Burglary Task Force and Crime Scene Unit, the Franklin Township Police Department, and investigators from the New Jersey Division of Taxation and the United States Postal Inspector’s Office executed search warrants on Everything Wireless located at 665 Hamilton Blvd., Franklin Township and the residence of Everything Wireless owner, David Rubin. Police were assisted in the execution of the search warrant by loss prevention investigators from Home Depot, Bed Bath & Beyond and Target Stores.
Officials say the search warrant yielded numerous items of suspected stolen retail merchandise, valued in excess of fourteen thousand dollars.
As a result of this investigation, the owners of Everything Wireless, David Rubin and Sheryllee Rubin were arrested and charged with 2nd degree Leader of an Organized Retail Theft Enterprise and 2nd degree Leader of Organized Crime Racketeering. Four employees of Everything Wireless: Lisa Rubin, Batsheva Rubin-Rivera, Andre Watts, and Dunia Patricia Hernandez were also arrested and charged with 3rd degree Receiving Stolen Property and 3rd degree Dealing in Stolen Property.
According to authorities, the defendants were released on their own recognizance pending a Somerset County Superior Court appearance in Somerville.
Anyone with information to contact the Somerset County Prosecutors Office Burglary Task Force Unit at (908) 231-7100 or the Franklin Township Police Department at (732) 873-5533 or via the STOPit app. The STOPit app allows citizens to provide anonymous reports including videos and photos. STOPit can be downloaded to your smart phone for free at the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, access code: SOMERSETNJ.
These charges are merely an accusation and that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.