Manchester Man Accused Of 2 Burglaries At Convenience Store

MANCHESTER, NJ — A Manchester Township man has been charged in a pair of August burglaries at a Manchester convenience store where the thief went in through the roof, police said.

Andrew C. Norris, 25, was arrested Tuesday in the Whiting section, Manchester Lt. Vincent Manco said.

Norris, who lives in the Pine Lake Park section, was identified thanks to anonymous tips from the public and the store's surveillance cameras, along with unspecified evidence recovered at the store after the burglaries, Manco said.

The burglaries at the Circle K convenience store at 2001 Ridgeway Road happened in the early morning both within a week in August.

Both times police responded to intrusion alarms at the stores and determined the burglar had gotten into the building through the roof HVAC system and left before police arrived.

The officers found damage to the air conditioning return vent duct in the ceiling and debris on the floor underneath the vent, and the safe and cash registers had been tampered with and about $500 was taken, police said at the time.

Police brought in K-9 to search for the suspect, but the track into the woods behind the store ended at a creek. Video surveillance at the store showed a subject wearing a hooded sweatshirt, gloves and a dark backpack broke in through the ceiling and left through the front door, he said.

The second burglary happened about 2:50 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 23. Police again arrived in very quickly and looking through the window, saw an extension cord hanging from the ceiling air conditioning return duct. Police realized it was the same entry point from the previous burglary and called the owners of the Circle K, who told police they believed the burglar might still be inside.

A warrant was issued and he was arrested in Whiting, by members of the Manchester Police Patrol Bureau. Norris has been charged with two counts of burglary, one count of theft, one count of criminal attempt theft, one count of criminal mischief, and one count of obstruction of justice.

Norris is being held at the Ocean County Jail.

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