Reward Offered In North Plainfield Police Chief's Home Burglary

WATCHUNG, NJ — A reward of up to $500 is being offered by the Somerset County Crime Stoppers, Inc. for information leading to the arrest of the men that burglarized North Plainfield Police Chief William Parenti's home last month in Watchung.

The men were pretending to be a delivery person or door-to door salesman when they approached the chief's Johnston Drive home on Jan. 24 at around 10:08 a.m., according to Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson.

After they couldn't get in through the front door, the men went to the back of the house when they entered through a window, Robertson said.

The suspect(s) removed two safes containing jewelry, electronics, firearms, and law enforcement badges from the home. The suspect also took law enforcement uniforms before leaving the property in a 2005 Mercedes sedan that was parked in the garage, according to Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson.

The Mercedes was later found at 12:10 p.m. behind an apartment building at 47 Linden Avenue, in Irvington.

Video images of the men were captured from the chief's home surveillance camera. The images show the suspect(s) as black males, wearing dark colored jackets with hoods. They were also wearing dark colored ski hats and royal blue lanyards attached to a white colored identification card.

Detectives from the Watchung Police department and the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Burglary Task Force are conducting the ongoing investigation.

Tipsters who wish to remain anonymous and collect the reward monies offered by Crime Stoppers must call the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888- 577-TIPS (8477) Tipsters can also go online by visiting www.888577tips.org or www.scpo.net and click on either “Crime Stoppers” or “Tips Hotline.” After calling or going online, tipsters will recieve a “Tip Identification Number” needed to collect the reward monies anonymously.

(Images and video via Watchung Police Department)

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