Burglary Suspect Arrested on Virginia Ave. in Hazlet
Alert neighbors get the credit for calling Hazlet Police on Monday, who arrived on the scene in less than a minute.
Hazlet Police have arrested a man they say entered a backyard on Virginia Avenue carrying a backpack containing a crowbar, screwdriver, pocketknife and gloves.
Abraham Feliciano, 30, of 43 Church Street in Keansburg was arrested by police around 3 p.m. Monday, and charged with possession of burglary tools and defiant trespass.
Det. Lt. Charles McBride credited two sharp-eyed neighbors for taking note of the man entering a resident's backyard near the intersection of Vermont Dr., and swiftly contacting Hazlet Police, who converged at the scene within one minute of the call.
"Fortunately, people were aware there was something going on, and they thought enough to observe this person they did not recognize in their neighborhood," said McBride.
"They confronted him," said McBride. "His excuse was that he was urinating."
Hazlet Police Chief James Broderick, Sgt. Robert Mulligan, Ptl. Ryan McAndrews and Ptl. Scott Randolph responded to the call Monday; Detective Kevin Leonard is the investigating officer.
There has been four residential burglaries reported in the nearby neighborhoods -- one on them on Virginia Avenue -- since May 31. In each case, a burglary suspect broke into the house through a pried-open rear or side window, and stole cash and jewels.
Feliciano is not charged in those cases. "As of this stage right now, we have not linked him with the other burglaries," said McBride on Tuesday afternoon.
Feliciano was dressed in dark pants and a dark shirt and was carrying the tools in a backpack, police said. He is unemployed and a former resident of Keyport and Hazlet, who graduated Raritan High School in 2000, they said. He did not say much to police when he was arrested, said McBride.
Hazlet Police set bail at $1,000, but because of a violation of probation warrant by Ocean Township Police for failure to pay fines, Feliciano is being held on $25,000 bail at the Monmouth County Correctional Facility in Freehold, McBride said.
"The fact that people were aware that there were burglaries going on in the neighborhood was extremely helpful," said McBride. The police reports were reported in the Holmdel-Hazlet Patch and shared on Facebook.
"We want people to be extremely vigilant and call the police when they think something is not right," said McBride. "And continue to do so."
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Partyoffive
5:03 pm on Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Can someone answer a question - If this person had not been in violation of probation could he have bonded out at $100? Can the police hold a suspect for 24 hours before the persons bail is set (in theory to determine if they are suspected of any others offences)? I understand that this fellow is innocent until proven guilty, I'm just trying to understand the quick/low bail amount.
Bob Stevens
9:57 pm on Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Bail is based on the charges filed. It's only purpose is to insure that he shows up for court. It is not meant to punish someone. He will be punished later when he goes to court. The police charged him with what was appropriate. They will add the other charges later as they process the evidence.
Citizen 1
12:31 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
This POS stole my great aunt's rings as well as my mothers engagement ring and my mother and father's wedding bands (my father died 21 years ago!). We searched every pawn shop and gold buyer in the area and we found nothing! These are things we can't get back...glad to hear he made bail and is out roaming the streets free.