Arrests made in copper thefts
BY CHRIS MURINO Staff Writer

SOUTH BRUNSWICK - Township police, along with the New Jersey State Police, have arrested three men in connection with numerous copper thefts from cell phone towers throughout the state, according to a statement made by Police Detective James Ryan.

Andreas Gardner, 21, of Jamesburg, and Jorge Rasteiro, 24, of Elizabeth, were arrested on March 19. They were reportedly both trying to steal copper from a tower on the New Jersey Turnpike in East Brunswick when they activated an alarm, police said. They fled, but Rasteiro was caught by an East Brunswick police officer and Garner was arrested later at his home.

A third suspect, Matthew Torre, was arrested the next day, on March 20. He worked for a cell phone subcontractor. He allegedly showed the other two suspects how to break into the cell phone towers and steal the copper bars and how to make money off this process, according to the statement.

Police believe the suspects broke into over 100 cell phone towers since December 2007. The robberies took place in six New Jersey counties and in Pennsylvania and usually occurred during the late evening or early morning.

The suspects have been charged with all three township copper thefts and the recent Turnpike theft. They were charged with burglary, theft and conspiracy in South Brunswick and more charges will be coming in the future, Ryan said.