Man Used Crowbar, Broke Into Businesses Across Somerset County: Prosecutor

SOMERSET COUNTY, NJ — A Scotch Plains man was charged in connection with multiple commercial burglaries at businesses across Somerset County.

Emmanuel Tolentino, 26, of Front Street, Scotch Plains, was charged for the burglaries that happened between Nov. 26, 2024, and Dec. 2, 2024, in Somerville, Green Brook, North Plainfield, Bridgewater and Somerville, announced Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald and Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of County Detectives Francisco Roman Jr. on Thursday.

A 17-year-old male from Roselle was also charged in two of the commercial burglaries.

On Nov. 26, 2024, at around 9:20 p.m., a commercial business on Route 206 in Somerville was burglarized. The burglary was captured on video surveillance. The rear door of the business was pried open to gain entry.

Upon gaining entry to the store, the person targeted the cash registers, taking cash before fleeing the area, said McDonald.

On Nov. 29, 2024, at around 1:45 a.m., a commercial business on Route 22 East in Green Brook was burglarized. The rear door was pried open to gain entry. Once inside, the cash registers and office area were broken into using a pry tool. Cash was taken from this location, said McDonald

On the same date, Nov. 29, 2024, at 2:04 a.m., an attempted burglary occurred at a business on Route Hwy 22 West in North Plainfield.

An alarm was activated when the door to the business was pried open causing the suspect to flee the area, said McDonald.

At 2:10 a.m., forced entry was made into another business on Route 22 West in North Plainfield.

A crowbar was used to open the cash register and cash was stolen, said McDonald.

On Dec. 2, 2024, at around 9:15 p.m., the same commercial business on Route 206 in Somerville that was burglarized on Nov. 26, 2024, was burglarized again.

A pry tool was used to gain entry through the rear door and cash was removed from the cash registers and business office, said McDonald.

Also on Dec. 2, 2024, at around 10:07 p.m., three commercial burglaries were committed at a strip mall on Washington Valley Road in Bridgewater.

Two people were captured on video surveillance. During these burglaries the rear and side doors of the businesses were pried open.

During one of the burglaries, an individual is seen using a small crowbar to open the cash register. Cash was stolen in total from all three stores, said McDonald.

The actors also tried to gain entry to other stores located in the strip mall but were unsuccessful.

On the same date, Dec. 2, 2024, at 10:48 p.m., a commercial business on Washington Valley Road in Warren Township was burglarized.

Entry was gained by prying the side door to the business open. Cash was taken from the cash register, said McDonald.

The burglary was captured on surveillance footage, which showed two people who matched the description of the same two people that had committed the burglaries in Bridgewater around 20 minutes earlier.

The Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Burglary Unit conducted a joint investigation with officers/detectives from the Somerville Police Department, Green Brook Township Police Department, North Plainfield Police Department, Bridgewater Police Department and the Warren Township Police Department. The investigation led to the identification of both individuals
responsible for the burglaries.

The person committing the burglaries was identified as Tolentino. The second person involved was identified as a 17-year-old male from Roselle.

On Dec. 4, 2024, Tolentino was arrested by officers from the Green Brook Township Police Department without incident in Green Brook for the burglary committed on Nov. 29, 2024.

Tolentino was charged with third-degree burglary, third-degree theft, fourth-degree criminal mischief, and possession of burglary tools, a disorderly person’s offense.

Further investigation was conducted by the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Burglary Task Force, which resulted in additional information and investigative leads which led to additional arrests by other agencies.

On Dec. 9, 2024, Tolentino was arrested by members of the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office and the Warren Township Police Department in Green Brook Township without incident.

Tolentino was charged with third-degree burglary, third-degree theft, fourth-degree criminal mischief, and possession of burglary tools, a disorderly person’s offense for the burglary that occurred in Warren Township on Dec. 2, 2024.

On Jan. 23, 2025, a complaint summons was generated by the Bridgewater Township Police Department for a 17-year-old juvenile male from Roselle, for three counts of third-degree burglary, three counts of third-degree criminal mischief, third-degree theft of moveable property and theft of movable property, a disorderly person’s offense for his involvement in the burglaries that occurred in Bridgewater on Dec. 2, 2024.

On Jan. 29, 2025, Tolentino was arrested in Scotch Plains by Bridgewater Township Police Department and charged with three counts of third-degree burglary, one count of third-degree theft, one count of theft, a disorderly person’s offense and three counts of criminal mischief, a disorderly person’s offense for the burglaries committed in Bridgewater on Dec. 2, 2024.

On Jan. 30, 2025, while lodged in the Somerset County Jail, officers from the Somerville Police Department served Tolentino with a complaint for charges of two counts of third-degree burglary, two counts of fourth-degree theft, two counts of fourth-degree criminal mischief and two counts of possession of burglary tools, a disorderly person’s offense stemming from the two burglaries that occurred in Somerville on Nov. 26, 2024 and on Dec. 2, 2024.

Tolentino was released from jail later that day.

On Feb. 5, 2025, Warren Township Police Department charged the 17-year-old male from Roselle, on a complaint summons for one count of third-degree burglary, third-degree theft, and criminal mischief, a disorderly person’s offense for his involvement in the burglary that occurred in Warren Township on Dec. 2, 2024.

Tolentino has also been charged by officers from the North Plainfield Police Department with two counts of third-degree burglary, one count of third-degree theft and one count of third-degree criminal mischief for the burglary and attempted burglary that occurred in North Plainfield on Nov. 29, 2024.

Tolentino has not been served with this criminal complaint and is wanted for these charges.

Authorities are asking anyone with information leading to the whereabouts of Tolentino to contact either the North Plainfield Police Department or the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office.

McDonald thanked members of the Somerville Police Department, Green Brook Police Department, North Plainfield Police Department, Bridgewater Police Department and Warren Township Police Department for their involvement in this investigation. McDonald also thanked members of the Scotch Plains Police Department for their help with this investigation.

Anyone with information regarding these burglaries is asked to contact the Somerset County Prosecutors Office Burglary Unit at 908-231-7100 or via the STOPit app. The STOPit app allows citizens to provide anonymous reports including videos and photos. STOPit can be downloaded to your smart phone for free at the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, access code: SOMERSETNJ.

Information can also be provided through the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477). All anonymous STOPit reports, and Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.

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