Man Suspected of Burglaries Across NJ Arrested in Cranford: Police

CRANFORD, NJ — A Plainfield man arrested on multiple burglary and theft charges is suspected to be linked to crimes in Union, Essex, Middlesex, Somerset, and Morris counties, Cranford Police report.

Dawud Ward, 23, of Plainfield, was arrested on Jan. 20 after an off-duty Cranford Detective observed him exit a Locust Drive home, carrying proceeds from the burglary, police reported.

Ward was stopped while driving a 2016 Hyundai a short distance from the scene, and arrested him without incident.

His arrest was the culmination of a nearly one month long investigation, led by Cranford Police Detective Spencer Durkin, who marked Ward as a suspect in a December 2016 burglary of a Riverside Drive home in Cranford.

During investigation, Ward was found to be suspected of burglaries in Union, Essex, Middlesex, Somerset, and Morris counties.

A joint surveillance operation comprised of members of the Cranford, Clark, Hillside, Watchung, Westfield, Mountainside, Scotch Plains, and Berkeley Heights Police Departments, as well as members of the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office was formed as a result.

“The collaborative effort involved in these investigations is truly a testament to the hard work, dedication, and information sharing amongst the Detectives," Cranford Police Chief James Wozniak states.

Ward was charged with Burglary, Theft, and Criminal Mischief, and remanded to the Union County Jail, where he was subsequently released at the conclusion of a Detention Hearing.

(Image via Cranford Police: Dawud Ward, 23, of Plainfield)

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