Vigilant Residents Lead Police to Suspected Burglar

Over the holiday weekend, a 29-year-old Jersey City man, who was arrested earlier this month for a string of coin-operated laundry machine robberies, was arrested in Cedar Grove after he burglarized a home on Franklin Street of nearly $8,000 in cash and jewelry, police said.

The arrest was made with the help of two watchful residents who not only lead police right to the suspect, but actually assisted in his apprehension.

Police say Shaun C. Ward, 29, of Jersey City was arrested shortly before 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 23 on Pompton Avenue after a brief pursuit. Police had gotten a tip from a neighbor of the home that a "suspicious person", later identified as Ward, had entered and exited the rear of their neighbor's home while they were out.

Upon responding to the call, Cedar Grove Police officer Scott Scherer observed Ward walking on Franklin Street near Pompton Avenue. As he attempted to interview the suspect, police say Ward ran south on Pompton Avenue and refused to stop.

Officer Scherer chased the suspect on foot down Pompton, and made the arrest with the help of a Verona resident who saw the pursuit from the road and pulled over to help. According to police, the Verona man tackled the suspect, slowing him down enough to allow officer Scherer to make the arrest. The Verona resident was not identified by police.

When Ward was subsequently searched, police say he was in possession of burglary tools as well as heroin, needles, and more than $7,500 in stolen cash and jewelry.

Ward was arrested and charged with theft, possession of burglary tools, resisting arrest, possession of heroin, possession of hypodermic needles and obstructing the administration of the law. Cedar Grove Police Chief Richard Vanderstreet said the charges could carry jail time.

He was processed on all charges and transported to the Essex County Correctional Facility in Newark in lieu of $35,000 bail, where he remains in custody.

In an interview Monday, Vanderstreet praised the residents who got involved, saying their actions "directly lead to the arrest of the burglar."

"I'd like to commend both the Verona resident who assisted the officer in apprehending the suspect, and also the resident who contacted the police department. The neighbor recognized the suspect did not belong on his neighbors' property, trusted his instincts, and called the police and provided an excellent description and the direction of travel."

You can read up on Ward's arrest earlier this month .