Accused Burglar Set Free In Hopatcong Arrested For Morris Twp Burglary

HOPATCONG, NJ— The man Morris Twp Police say confessed to a Feb. 12 robbery had just been released from jail for multiple burglary and drug charges in Sussex County, Hopatcong Police said.

Why was Jason Major able to commit the alleged Feb. 12 crime, after having been accused of multiple others? Bail reform, Hopatcong Lt. Thomas Kmetz said.

Major, 34, had just been released from jail in Hopatcong the day before burglarizing a Morris Township home. Morris Township Police say he confessed to that burglary.

"At this time Major is not incarcerated. There is nothing the police can do about this because of the new bail reform law," Kmetz wrote in a press release.

Major is accused of breaking into homes in multiple towns, including Hopatcong, Byram, Wayne, Pompton Lakes, Elmwood Park and Morris Township while the residents were at work. He allegedly stole over $20,000 worth of goods.

Hopatcong Police said Major would don a safety vest and pretend to be a Department of Public Works employee. If no one answered when he knocked on the door, he would break in and "steal what he could," Kmetz said.

With the help of neighborhood tips, Hopatcong Police were able to trace Major to his home, and he was arrested in Elmwood on Feb. 10. Some of the stolen goods were recovered, and heroin and drug paraphernalia were found.

Major was held in jail overnight based on his public safety assessment score, but freed on Saturday morning following a court hearing.

"In our efforts to keep the public safe we can only attach Major's picture to this press release," Kmetz wrote. "If you see him on your property or a neighbors, please call 911."

Police say he drives a late-model green pick-up truck with a ladder rack.

Hopatcong Detectives, Byram Township Detectives, Sparta Township Detectives and the Sussex County Prosecutor's Office assisted in Major's Elmwood arrest.

Major is currently facing a variety of charges, including criminal mischief, burglary and theft, and possession of hypodermic needles, a crack cocaine pipe, heroin.

Image via Hopatcong Police