Convicted Burglar Charged with Trespassing Near Site of Break-In

A convicted burglar who had been charged in a home break-in on Kenneth Avenue in 2011, was picked up by police Friday for trespassing on the same street where a home was burglarized the day before, police said.

Although the man, identified as 24-year-old Robert Lindsay, of Oakland, has not been charged in Thursday's break-in on Northern Drive, he has been charged with trespassing and providing false information to police.

A resident spotted Lindsay walking through yards, dodging people and hiding in bushes on Northern Drive Friday morning and called police, Sgt. Lonnie Mergler said. When officers found Lindsay near Broadway and Virginia Drive, Mergler said he provided a false name, but was not carrying any burglary tools.

"We do not know if he was involved in that burglary from yesterday," the sergeant said. "As of now, he has no connection."

Thursday's home burglary on Northern Drive, which occurred some time during the day, was discovered when the homeowner arrived back to the residence at 4:45 p.m. and noticed the rear window in the family room had been pushed open and its screen was missing, Mergler said. While the home was reportedly ransacked, only an iPad has been reported missing, he said.

Lindsay, who had served a year in state prison for burglary before being released in March, was also wanted for state parole violations that occurred outside of New Jersey.

"He's going back to state prison," Mergler said.

Fair Lawn police were assisted in Friday's arrest by the Bergen County Sheriff's Office, who had a canine out looking for Lindsay, and the Paramus Police Department, who were watching their border, he said.

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