Suspect Charged with Burglary & Theft for Alleged Theft of Minibikes in Mendham Borough, New Jersey
A Randolph, New Jersey man was arrested after allegedly stealing almost $5,000 worth of minibikes and skis and selling them to a pawnshop in Morristown, NJ. The suspect is Lennon J. Freed, a 32-year-old man from Randolph in Morris County, New Jersey. According to law enforcement officials, Freed burglarized two stores in Mendham Borough, NJ in early September 2017 and stole several expensive items, including minibikes and skis. He then allegedly took the stolen goods to Perfect Pawn, a pawnshop located on Speedwell Avenue in Morristown, NJ, and sold them for less than $200. Detectives with both the Mendham Borough Police Department and the Morristown Police Department investigated the break-ins in Mendham Borough and eventually tracked the stolen merchandise to the pawnshop in Morristown. Investigators reportedly found shop receipts that showed that Freed sold seven items one day and nine items the following day. Authorities believe that most of what Freed sold to the Morristown pawnshop was stolen during the burglaries in Mendham, New Jersey.
Although law enforcement quickly identified Freed as the main suspect in the Mendham Borough burglary and theft case, placed him under arrest was another story entirely. Prosecutors in Morris County charged Freed with multiple crimes in September 2017, but he was not taken into police custody until recently. Even though Freed had a warrant out for his arrest, he was not arrested until this past week when he turned himself in to Morristown police.
Severe Penalties for Felony Theft Crime Charges in Morris County, New Jersey
Now that Freed has been arrested, he will face several criminal charges. Court records indicate that Freed has been charged with theft of movable property, as well as two counts of burglary. Since the retail value of the items Freed allegedly stole is greater than $500, he will probably face third degree theft crime charges. If Freed had been accused of stealing merchandise valued at less than $200, he would likely have been charged with a disorderly persons offense. (This typically happens in NJ shoplifting cases.) Instead, Freed has been charged with a third degree crime that is punishable by up to five years behind bars in NJ State Prison. Beyond that, Freed could be ordered to pay restitution to the victims of the thefts.
Contact an Experienced Morris County Criminal Defense Lawyer About Your Theft Charges
Were you arrested and charged with a theft or fraud crime in Morristown, Parsippany, Mount Olive, Roxbury, Denville, or somewhere else in Morris County? Then you need to talk to New Jersey criminal attorney Travis J. Tormey immediately. Attorney Tormey can help you fight the charges and stay out of jail. Contact him anytime.