Break-In At Crossroads Nursery: Forensic Evidence Leads To Arrest

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — If you've ever watched the show "Forensic Files" you'll appreciate this: Some modern-day forensics helped South Brunswick police identify the man who they say broke into Crossroads Nursery last year.

The initial break-in happened May 7, 2017: On that Sunday morning, the owner of Crossroads Nursery, located at 981 Georges Road in Monmouth Junction, arrived to find his front glass door smashed. Inside the nursery office, the cash register was found pried open on the floor with cash stolen. Evidence technician Officer Salvatore Fama located blood on some of the broken pieces of glass. Officers recovered several latent fingerprints from the scene as well as surveillance video from inside the business that showed the crime taking place, police said.

Detectives circulated still pictures from the surveillance video, but no one was able to identify the suspect. On July 12 of this year, South Brunswick Detective Eric Tighelaar received notification from the New Jersey State Police Forensic Section advising the blood recovered from the crime scene matched a crime scene in Evansville, Indiana from April of this year. Both matches came back to Salvador Roman, 42, with connections to the New Brunswick area, police said.

Detective Tighelaar learned that Roman had been in the New Brunswick area last year and also used an alias, Salvador Roman-Gonzales. Detectives believe that as of Monday, Aug. 27 he may still be in the Midwest but his connections to this area may very likely bring him back to Central Jersey.

A judge has issued a warrant charging Roman with burglary, theft, and criminal mischief.

“Our crime scene processing linked our case to a city 830 miles away," said South Brunswick police Chief Raymond Hayducka. "While the suspect may have believed he got away with his crime, modern-day forensics proved him wrong. We will continue to work with our county, state and federal partners to track him down.”

WANTED:

Salvador Roman DOB – 6/25/1976 Height – 5’03” Weight – 150 lbs.

Livingston Ave., New Brunswick NJ Anyone with information on the suspect is asked to call Detective Tighelaar at (732) 329-4646

Photo of Salvador Roman released by South Brunswick police