South Brunswick Residents See Burglary and Chase Suspects

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ - A South Brunswick resident saw a man breaking a window and climbing into a neighbor's home Friday, and her husband chased one of the burglary suspects, police said. The incident resulted in three people being arrested, and police say the trio is wanted for several other recent burglaries in Somerset County.

At 12:20 p.m. on Friday, a Cambridge Road resident, Maria Doherty, saw a suspect break a rear window and climb into her neighbor's home. She told her husband, Thomas Doherty, who immediately called 911. He also noticed there was a dark car with tinted windows driving slowly up and down the street.

Officers were pulling into the neighborhood when Tom Doherty said he saw the suspect emerge from the home and run. He gave chase to the suspect, who jumped into the dark-colored vehicle halfway down Cambridge Road. Doherty told the 911 dispatcher the vehicle fled on Springdale towards New Road.

Seconds later Officer Mike Leung and Sergeant Eric Buraszeski observed the car, a 2008 black Mazda, turn onto New Road; police stopped the car as it turned onto Hastings Road. Jason Milline, 23, of North Brunswick, Rashiene Rochester, 23, of Franklin, and a 16-year-old male from Franklin were arrested. The two adult suspects have been charged with conspiracy to commit burglary and employing a juvenile in a crime. They are being held at the Middlesex County Correction Center pending a bail hearing on Monday. The juvenile has been charged with burglary, theft and criminal mischief. He has been placed in juvenile detention.

The trio has been connected to other recent burglaries in Somerset County, police said.

Anyone with information about the group is asked to call South Brunswick Detective Sergeant Mike Pellino at (732) 329-4000 ext. 7496.

"These arrests put an end to one group’s crime spree and saved countless other homeowners from becoming victims,” said South Brunswick Police Chief Raymond Hayducka. “Our 21 percent decrease in burglaries last year is directly related to people like the Doherty family."

Photo: Rashiene Rochester, left, and Jason Milline, right.