7 Middletown Delis Hit in Crime Spree by Fair Haven Man, Prosecutor Says

Middletown, NJ - A Fair Haven man targeted Middletown delis, gas stations and coffee shops in a months-long crime spree this past spring, breaking into local delis up to eight different times and walking out with cigarettes, cash and sometimes even the whole cash register, police said.

David Aochoa, 39, of Third Street in Fair Haven, would break into the stores when they were closed, police said. In every instance, he threw a brick through the front door to get inside, they said. His two most recent break-ins both occurred June 3, police said: At the Welsh Farms convenience store on Rt. 36 in Belford and at Jersey Shore Roasters coffee shop on Thompson Avenue in Leonardo.

On June 3, he threw a red brick through the glass front door of the Welsh Farms and walked out with several cartons of Newport cigarettes and loose change, cops said. That same day, he threw a brick through the door of Jersey Shore Roasters, but did not steal anything. He was arrested after those two incidents and police linked him to an earlier break-in at the Belford Welsh Farms in April, as well as five other deli break-ins this past spring:

April 10: Charged with breaking into the Belford Welsh Farms by throwing a brick through the door and removing several cartons of cigarettes.

March 26: Charged with breaking into Mike's Deli on Oak Hill Road by throwing a brick through the door and walking out with the cash register.

March 26: On that same day, also charged with breaking into the One Stop Deli on Main Street in Belford, again by throwing a brick, and walking out with the cash register and cigarettes.

March 26: Again on that same day, he is charged with breaking into Slater's Deli in Leonardo and walking out with the cash register.

March 17: Charged with breaking into Booskerdoo Coffee on Highway 35 by throwing a brick through the door and walking out with the cash register.

March 16: Charged with throwing a brick through the glass doors of Raceway Deli/gas station on Highway 35, but he did not take anything.

In an unrelated incident, Slater's Deli was robbed last fall by an Atlantic Highlands man who also broke into the Red Store Deli, police said. Someone who picked up the phone at Slater's Deli declined to comment to Patch over the phone Monday.