Police: S.B. man stole from homes, church
BY CHRIS GAETANO
Staff Writer

Thomas Smith

SOUTH BRUNSWICK - Police arrested a man last week they believe is responsible for a string of burglaries over the course of this year.

Thomas Smith, an unemployed South Brunswick resident, was apprehended by police on April 23 at his Jill Court home on suspicion that he was responsible for three burglaries in the Monmouth Walk development on Route 522. Smith was identified through his association with several pawn shops in the East Brunswick and New Brunswick areas he had sold jewelry to. Smith was suspected when one of the victims was able to identify a piece of jewelry for sale there as his own.

According to police, the first burglary was reported in January. There were no suspects or witnesses at the time and the case became inactive. But during the first two weeks of April, there were two additional burglaries reported in the complex. In all three cases, the victims were away on vacation.

After Smith was arrested, searches were conducted of his home and vehicle, and several additional items were located linking him with other burglaries over the past few years. According to police, he had credit cards belonging to someone else, a wallet containing pictures of a robbery victim, and a camera belonging to someone who had reported a car break-in in 2004. In addition, police said Smith had envelopes of money that belonged to the church he attends. One was marked as containing only 90 cents.

"All of these things added up to link him," said Detective Jim Ryan, public affairs officer for the department.

Smith is also said to have stolen his wife's grandmother's wedding ring.

Ryan said some of the people whose property Smith was found with didn't even know they had been robbed until police contacted them. Authorities are still trying to piece together an order of events. In the meantime, police are also trying to determine ownership of two dozen pieces of jewelry found in his home.

According to police, Smith did not have any obvious drug or gambling problems.

"This guy victimized his community, his neighborhood, his family, his own wife, and the church he went to," Ryan said.

Smith was taken to the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center, North Brunswick, on $90,000 bail. To date, he has been charged with three counts of burglary.

Anyone who might have additional information on the case is urged to contact Ryan at (732) 329-4646.