Cop's Keen Eye Foils Halloween Burglary In Parsippany: Officials

PARSIPPANY, NJ — An observant Parsippany police officer played a major part in foiling a burglary of a commercial building last month, authorities said.

On Oct. 31, around 12:40 a.m., Patrolman David Przybylo was conducting a property check of the commercial building at 15 Sylvan Way when he noticed that a loading bay door was in a different position than it was earlier in his shift, police said.

Przybylo reported the abnormality, and several other Parsippany police officers were sent to his location, authorities said. Investigators soon determined that an unknown number of people were either in the building or had recently left, officials said.

Police said that $2 million in copper had recently been stolen from the building, so authorities called on multiple neighboring police departments to search in and around the site.

A Morris County Sheriff's Office K-9 discovered one man hiding inside a room within the building, and he was placed under arrest, police said.

Three more men were spotted by drones trying to hide on the roof, according to authorities. That trio was taken into custody as well.

The four arrested suspects are:

• Lou James Munoz Espinoza, 22, of Paterson
• Alemao Martin Cruzado-Castro, 34, of Paterson
• Rafael Portugal, 18, of Paterson
• Joel Sandovar, 40, homeless

The four suspects were taken back to Parsippany Police Headquarters, where they were processed and each charged with the following:

• 1 count of 3^rd Degree Burglary
• 1 count of 3^rd Degree Conspiracy (Burglary)
• 1 count of 3^rd Degree Criminal Attempt (Burglary)
• Possession of Burglary Tools (disorderly persons offense)

The men are being held at the Morris County Correctional Facility while awaiting court proceedings.

The incident remains under investigation. Anyone with further information is asked to contact police at 973-263-4300.