Hamilton Police made multiple arrests this week of several parties believed to be responsible for a rash of car burglaries and several auto thefts that occurred in the township over the last couple of months.
On Tuesday, September 3, 2019, at approximately 12:12 AM Patrol Officers Patrick Quick and Justin McWilliam observed a Ford F150 driving near Liberty and Chambers Street that had been reported stolen on August 29, 2019. The operator ignored the signal to stop, accelerated, and after a short pursuit the occupants fled the vehicle on foot near Westcott Avenue.
Within minutes officers saturated the area and were able to take three juveniles, each seventeen years old from Trenton, into custody. Quick and McWilliam were assisted by Patrol Officers Sean McLaren, Richard Piotrowski, Roman Babyak, Brandon Kent, Tiziana Zappley and Matthew Mayhew. All three juveniles were charged with resisting arrest and receiving stolen property.
The driver was additionally charged with eluding police and numerous traffic offenses. Each was released to a parent or guardian after processing.
On Thursday, September 5, 2019, at approximately 4:15 AM Patrol Officers Matthew Mayhew and Tiziana Zappley observed a GMC Yukon being operated at a high rate of speed on Nottingham Way near East State Street. This vehicle had just been reported stolen to township police an hour earlier. This operator also ignored the signal to stop and fled the area until reaching Walnut Avenue where the occupants bailed out and fled on foot. Numerous units from Hamilton and Trenton responded to the area which led to the arrest of three juveniles and one adult.
Tazair White 18, one seventeen year old and one fourteen year old all from Trenton were charged with receiving stolen property, resisting arrest and joyriding. The other seventeen year old identified as the driver, also from Trenton, was charged with eluding police instead of joyriding and a host of motor vehicle violations. The adult and fourteen year old were each processed and released and the two seventeen year olds were transported to the Middlesex County Youth Detention Center pending a hearing.
The Hamilton Police Division would like to remind residents to lock their vehicles, not keep or store extra keys/key-fobs inside of vehicles and keep all valuables out of sight.
The arrestees may also be suspects in similar crimes in adjacent towns and the investigation is ongoing in conjunction with the neighboring police departments.
Anyone with information related to these incidents is asked to contact Hamilton Police Division Detectives Chris Pullen at 609-581-4080 or cpullen@hamiltonpd.org and Detective Tom Clugsten at 609-581-4027 or tclugsten@hamiltonpd.org. Citizens may also leave any information on the Hamilton Police Division Crime Tip Hotline at 609-581-4008.
