Crime & Safety
Burglary, Robbery and Shoplifting, along with Suspicious Fire Sighting Round out the Third Week of July
Here's a roundup of notable police activity in Lawrence Township from July 18 through July 21
Burglary
Two Trenton juveniles, a 14-year-old and a 16-year-old, were charged with possession of burglary tools and obstruction of the administration of law after they were stopped by Lawrence Township Officer Sean Kerins and Shawn Sudol at 2:45 a.m. on Thursday, July 21.
Lt. Mark Urby, acting spokesman for the Lawrence Township Police department said that the officers, while on patrol on the midnight shift, observed the two males on bicycles in the area of the Lawrence Shopping Center, near the Radio Shack store within the complex.
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An investigation revealed that one of the juveniles was wearing latex gloves and had a backpack, and had a tool in his possession. When police approached them, the two juveniles attempted to flee on foot.
Police took the younger juvenile into custody. The older juvenile resisted arrest, and was also charged with aggravated assault on a police officer.
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A subsequent investigation by Detective Todd Caruso revealed that the 16-year old juvenile was linked with two previous burglaries at the Radio Shack.
Lt. Ubry said on Friday morning that investigation is still ongoing.
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Suspicious Fire
On Monday, July 18, Lawrence Police received a call about a juvenile starting fire in a small wooded area near Feather Bed Court.
Lt. Ubry said there was no active reported, and Lawrenceville Fire Station 23 responded immediately to the scene. After a brief investigation, a small piece of plywood with a burn mark was discovered.
The report, written by Officer Shaun Sexton, said that neighbors in the area reported seeing two white juvenile males with dark hair leave the area on bicycles.
Detective David Burns is investigating. Anyone with information is asked to call the Lawrence Police Department at 896-1111.
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Shoplifting and Robbery
On Tuesday, at 2:40 p.m., a Sears security officer confronted a shopper in Sears at the Quakerbridge Mall who he saw place merchandise in her purse.
The woman left the building, and the security officer called the loss prevention officers to the scene.
After coming back in the store and throwing the merchandise on the ground, the woman went out into the parking lot and got into her car.
Lawrence Police said the loss prevention officer then went out into the parking lot, and the woman backed out of the parking space, hit the officer, and continued to drive off.
Lt. Ubry said that authorities were able to make note of the woman’s license plate number. Detective Todd Caruso is currently investigating the robbery, and charges are pending.
