Crime & Safety

In Cedar Grove: More Charges For Alleged Home Burglar

A 37-year-old man accused of attempting to burglarize a Birch Road apartment in Cedar Grove is facing additional charges.

Cedar Grove, NJ – A 37-year-old homeless man accused of attempting to burglarize a Birch Road apartment in Cedar Grove is facing additional charges, police said.

According to the Cedar Grove Police Department, a detective bureau investigation resulted in additional charges of burglary and theft being filed against 37-year-old Kristopher M. Lauterbach.

Lauterbach was charged with attempting to burglarize a Birch Road apartment while the resident was at home on Feb. 18.

Find out what's happening in Verona-Cedar Grovefor free with the latest updates from Patch.

According to police, Lauterbach is also accused of burglarizing a second apartment in the Cedar Grove Gardens on Birch Road the same day.

Police said that on Feb. 19, a second burglary victim contacted officers and told them that someone entered her apartment the previous day and stole her husband’s Alprazolam prescription, along with approximately $7.50 in quarters.

Find out what's happening in Verona-Cedar Grovefor free with the latest updates from Patch.

“Detectives were able to identify Lauterbach as a suspect in the second burglary, since at the time of the original arrest he was found to be in possession of a large amount of Alprazolam and $7.50 change in quarters,” Cedar Grove police stated in a news release.

Lauterbach was served with the new charges at the Essex County Correctional Facility in Newark, where he was held in lieu of bail on the original burglary charge, police stated.

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.