Five homes were targeted in a matter of hours in Harrison Township, New Jersey, but the suspect was not able to get away during his final burglary attempt.
Suburban burglaries are a continuing problem, but what sets this one apart is that a sharp-eyed neighbor heading out to work overnight spotted a man dressed in black carrying, among other things, a crock pot, which he dumped on the side of a road.
After dialing 911, that sharp-eyed neighbor alerted Nick Furfari, who recovered the crockpot that had been taken from his wife's car.
Police responded to the scene, but could only take a report of the incident since the thief was gone.
Nick, however, kept watch.
When a suspicious vehicle later drove by, his wife sent him out to investigate.
Nick came across a guy in a wooded area who said he is looking for his dog.
He explains, "And I said what color, 'I'm just looking for the dog.' and he kind of blew it off. So I left him, figuring black sweatshirt, hood, flashlight - this is the guy."
Police arrive again, find no dog, but do find the man in black with cash checks, GPS devices, and a snow blower.
Harrison Township Police Chief Thomas Mills says, "He was carrying items that we discovered to be not his and from the neighborhood."
Charged is 32-year-old Frank Reim of Mullica Hill. Chief Mills says at least five households had been hit. The items were taken from cars and sheds. Reim is also charged with being in the possession of a stolen vehicle.
To most of us this is an upscale suburban neighborhood, but to a burglar, police say, it can be a target. Mills says the best defense for homeowners is, well, a good defense - lock up.
"Secure your vehicles, and before you go to bed make sure garage doors are down, your windows are locked, your doors are locked, vehicle is locked."
