Police in Maplewood has announced an arrest in several burglaries that occurred in the Township.
According to a statement released by Chief Jimmy, DeVaul police began investigating a number of overnight burglaries that occurred over the past weeks in the Golf Island area of town (near Maplewood Middle School).
Chief DeVaul said in one of the incidents, the owners confronted the suspect in his dining room at approximately 1:15 a.m. on August 11th.
Through the investigation, the Maplewood Police Detective Bureau developed a suspect who they later identified as Mr. James Clark 47 of Trenton.
Police say on the morning of August 20th, Maplewood Detectives working in coordination with the NJ Dept. of Parole arrested Clark at his home in Trenton.
Chief DeVaul said detectives recovered stolen proceeds in Clark's possession as well as in his room where detectives linked some of the proceeds to several other recent burglaries in South Orange and Highland Park.
Police filed a total of 9 criminal complaints and placed onto a warrant against Clark Chief DeVaul said.
The charges range from burglary, theft, criminal mischief, credit card fraud. At this time the investigation is continuing and additional charges are pending.
Authorities say Clark is currently being held in the Essex County Detention Center.
"I want to thank and recognize members of the Detective Bureau. It was through their hard work and dedication following up on leads ranging from locating video surveillance, physical evidence located at the scenes that lead to the arrest of James Clark", Chief DeVaul said.
"I would also note that the Police Department received several tips from residents that lead to Clarkâs arrest," Chief DeVaul said.