Police track auto burglar

TINTON FALLS- The search for a car burglar spread across two towns Jan. 7, involving police in Tinton Falls and Red Bank.

According to Tinton Falls Police Capt. David Trevena, a resident of Sugar Maple Lane saw the suspect breaking into the resident's car at about 2:50 a.m. on Jan. 7. The suspect ran fromthe scene upon being spotted.

Shortly afterward, Trevena said a Tinton Falls police officer reported a man fleeing into Red Bank on foot upon seeing the police car.

Tinton Falls police searched for the suspect on foot using K-9 trackers and were led to the Red Bank border. They enlisted their Red Bank and Shrewsbury counterparts to assist themin creating a perimeter, Trevena said.

"Their tracking dog led into Red Bank and while there, the trail led past some vacant houses," said Red Bank Police Capt. Stephen McCarthy Monday.

"The officers checked the vacant houses to make sure they were sealed up, and one was open,"McCarthy said. "They found two people inside and arrested them for criminal trespass."

According toMcCarthy, at that point the police did not consider the alleged trespassers to be connected to the car burglaries, which are still under investigation in Tinton Falls.

Trevena said that about 15 cars were broken into late Sunday or early Monday, all within a half-mile radius of SugarMaple Lane where the suspect was spotted.

- Jenna O'Donnell