3 Arrested In Gloucester Township Car Burglary Stakeout: Police

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — Three people were arrested during an overnight stakeout following a rash of car burglaries in Gloucester Township, police said on Wednesday.

Gloucester Township police said they received a call from an alert and informed citizen who said they saw two suspicious people trying to open several vehicle doors on the 600 block of Hobart Drive early Saturday morning.

Plainclothes officers were already in the area, conducting a stakeout after a series of unlocked car burglaries had been reported t in the area of Laurel Hills, Millbridge Homes, and Millbridge Gardens Apartments.

They caught Robert L. Sheppard, 18 of Woodbine, and a 15-year-old boy as they were breaking into the cars and arrested them, police said. Sheppard was also found to be a fugitive wanted by the Camden County Sheriff’s Office.

At the same time, plainclothes officers investigating the same series of burglaries stopped a suspicious man who was walking a motorcycle down Williamstown Road in the Sicklerville section of the township.

The motorcycle had been reported stolen, police said. Police said they also found the man, identified as 36-year-old Thomas C. Killeen, of Lindenwold, in possession of heroin and crystal meth.

Sheppard and the 15-year-old boy were charged with several counts of third-degree burglary and third-degree criminal attempt/burglary. Sheppard remanded to the Camden County Correctional Facility. The juvenile was released to his guardian on a juvenile petition pending a family court appearance.

Killeen was charged with third-degree theft, fourth-degree criminal mischief, third-degree possession of CDS and possession of burglary tools. Killeen was remanded to the Camden County Correctional Facility pending a Central First Appearance in accordance with the New Jersey Criminal Reform Act.

Police provided the following tips on how to prevent car burglaries:

• A vast majority of burglaries happen to unlocked cars, so police remind residents to lock their car doors;
• Don't leave valuables in plain sight. Offenders will look into the vehicle first to see if it is worth breaking into;
• Park in a well-lit area in the evening hours;
• If you park in your garage, make sure you lock your garage; and
• Call Gloucester Township Police if you see anyone suspicious in the area. It is always better to be safe than sorry. Residents can contact the police department’s 24-hour Community Policing Dispatch Center at 856-228-4500, or they can call 911.

Gloucester Township police have been running a #9PMRoutine campaign on their Facebook page to remind residents to make sure the doors to their cars and homes, as well as garages, windows, gates or sheds have all been locked.