Couple Arrested In Valentine's Night Car Burglaries In Howell

HOWELL, NJ — Two people have been charged in a string of burglaries to unlocked vehicles that happened on Valentine's night, Howell police said Friday.

Jomaira Rios, 35, and Jose Lopez-Perez, 26, have been charged in the burglaries that happened overnight Feb. 14 into Feb. 15 in the Toscana development off Fort Plains Road, police said.

Rios was arrested and charged Tuesday with conspiracy to commit burglary and theft by acting as a lookout for her boyfriend. She voluntarily turned herself in after being identified and contacted by Howell detectives and was released on criminal summonses.

Lopez-Perez was arrested Friday after detectives tracked him to a Dunkin Donuts in Freehold. He has been charged with multiple counts of attempted burglary, burglary and theft and is being held at the Monmouth County jail.

Items linking him to the thefts were recovered in an abandoned house on Route 9 just north of Home Depot, police said.

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