South Brunswick Cops: Princeton Man Arrested Minutes After Burglary, Truck Theft

South Brunswick police say a 24-year-old Princeton man broke into a Route 1 business and stole a pick-up truck.

But within minutes, he was spotted by police, authorities said.

According to a news release from acting Capt. James Ryan:

The alert officer saw the man - later identified as Ramiro Fajardo -- pulling out of MJ’s Auto Repairs and Sales on Route 1 south around 2:20 a.m. Sunday, police said.

Officer Gagan Chopra knew the business was closed, so he stopped the Gold Ford F150 and questioned the driver.

Fajardo told the officer his license was suspended and he was borrowing the truck and the tools from the business. He said it would not be a problem because he knew the manager.

But when two more officers arrived as back-up, they found two tires stacked up at the back of the business and a rear window that had been smashed.

Chopra and Detective Robert Jairdullo continued the investigation, and determined Fajardo burglarized the business and stole the truck.

Fajardo was charged with burglary, theft, and possession of burglary tools. He was sent to the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center, North Brunswick, with bail set at $30,000.

“An alert officer seeing a vehicle pull out of a closed business at 2 a.m. allowed us to prevent this businessman from becoming a victim,’’ Chief Raymond Hayducka said in a prepared statement.

Photo courtesy South Brunswick police