Men Shoplifted in Holmdel, Middletown, Turned Violent, Police Said

Holmdel, NJ - Two men stole from the Holmdel Best Buy Friday night, and one of them elbowed and pushed two store employees to the ground as they ran out the door, police said. The same men are suspected of shoplifting from several local Targets as well, including the Target in Middletown, according to the Asbury Park Press.

Jay Hutler, 45, of Netcong, and Derren Bonaventura, 27, of Hazlet, were stopped by two loss-prevention officers as they were walking out of the Best Buy on Rt. 35 in Holmdel at 7:30 p.m. Friday. That's when Hutler allegedly elbowed and shoved the employees to the ground as he ran out, reported the Asbury Park Press.

The two men were carrying stolen video games, computer parts and HDMI cables, police told the APP. Both men were arrested in the parking lot of the Best Buy. They were charged with robbery; each man had an anti-shoplifting device on him, police said.

A further investigation revealed that the two men had also stolen hundreds of dollars in merchandise from several area Target stores, including the Target in Middletown, according to the report. After being processed in Holmdel, they were turned over to the Middletown police.

Patch file photo of the Holmdel Best Buy