Car Burglary Suspect Found Hiding In Vehicle In Disguise

by Patricia A. Miller

Lacey police have apprehended a Forked River man who is a suspect in more than 20 car burglaries in both Lacey and nearby Berkeley Township, Police Chief David A. Paprota said.

Officer Anthony Sarno spotted a vehicle on Thursday evening as the car exited the Garden State Parkway and turned onto Lacey Road. He followed the vehicle, then conducted a motor stop in the parking lot near Deerhead Lake, the chief said.

Joshua Everett, 39, was found hiding in the vehicle, wearing a black wig, a skullcap and glasses. Sarno arrested Everett and found 32 empty wax folds, a hypodermic syringe, four Trazodone pills and drug paraphernalia in his possession, Paprota said.

Everett was taken to Lacey police headquarters, where he was charged with possession of a hypodermic needle, possession of prescription legend drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia on a warrant with bail set at $7,500. A Berkeley Township warrant for burglary and theft was executed with bail set at $25,000. Everett also had two outstanding traffic warrants out of Deptford Township and Westville with a combined bail of $389. Everett was was taken to the Ocean County Jail in Toms River, the chief said.

Berkeley and Lacey police had been looking for Everett, who was a suspect in more than 20 car burglaries and possible home burglaries in both townships over the past several months, Berkeley Police Chief Karin T. DiMichele has said.

Police identified Everett as a suspect and executed a search warrant on Jan. 28 at Everett’s home on East Lacey Road in Forked River. They recovered a large amount of evidence linking Everett to multiple burglaries in several towns, DiMichele said

Detectives from Lacey Township and Ocean Gate assisted in the investigation, the chief has said.

Berkeley police had already issued warrants for Everett on burglary and theft charges out of Berkeley before Everett was apprehended.

“Similar charges from detectives of the Lacey Township Police Department are pending further investigation,” Paprota said.

Police determined that Everett fled the area after the thefts and was possibly staying in or around Atlantic City,Paprota said.