Man Sought In Howell Gas Station Burglary Tries It Again: Police

HOWELL, NJ — Howell Township police continue to seek the public's help in identifying a man wanted in connection with a pair of burglaries at a Route 9 gas station.

The first burglary at the Citgo gas station on Route 9 south near Ford Road, near the Lakewood border, happened at 2:30 a.m. on April 30, Detective Sgt. Christian Antunez said. A white man wearing a hooded sweatshirt and shorts broke the window of the office at the gas station and stole an undetermined amount of cigarettes, Antunez said. The man then ran from the office to his car, which was parked in the parking lot of the nearby Golden Farmer’s Market, also on Route 9, and fled south on Route 9 in his vehicle.

The car appears to be an older model light-colored sedan, he said. The course of events was captured on the store’s surveillance system after the crime was discovered when the business opened the next day, Antunez said.

On May 28, the same man attempted to break into the Citgo by again smashing the window, Antunez said. But the action activated the burglar alarm and the man fled.

There was no vehicle seen in the video during the second attempt, Antunez said.

"Unfortunately, the attached surveillance images are the best still shots available from the video and there is no video or images available of the suspect’s face," Antunez said. "We are asking the public’s help in identifying the suspect by the tattoo on the side of the suspect’s right calf and by the sweatshirt he’s wearing that has a skull on the back."

The Howell Police Department extends our appreciation to the public for their continued cooperation and support. Every piece of information received is analyzed by our detectives and countless cases are solved as a direct result of information provided by members of the public, he said.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Detective Anthony Romano #605 by phone at (732)938-4575 ext. 2879, by e-mail at aromano@howellpolice.org or via our easy-to-use anonymous tip line, p3tips.com.

Photos provided by Howell Township police