Crime & Safety

3 People Charged For Series Of Home Burglaries In South Brunswick

The three men broke into local homes and stole jewelry, police said.

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — Three people were arrested and charged for committing a series of residential burglaries last year, South Brunswick Police said.

Rodrigo Lopez, 41, of Glendale, NY; Edison Jimenez-Castro, 35, of Manville, NJ, and Andres Moncaleano, 30, of Elizabeth, NJ – struck the neighborhoods of Oak Tree Homes, Beekman Manor, and Deans Pond Crossing between September and October 2024, police said.

They broke into homes, ransacked them, and stole jewelry.

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The arrests were the result of a months-long, multi-jurisdictional investigation that involved detectives from the South Brunswick Police Department, Franklin Police Department, Hillsborough Police Department, Manville Police Department, and Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office.

“Everyone was on the same page,” South Brunswick Detective Brian Luck said. “A lot of people in the community were concerned, and it was rewarding to be able to solve this case for them.”

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According to Det. Luck, the break in the case came when a vehicle of interest was identified and captured on surveillance footage in the area of the burglaries.

Lopez, Jimenez-Castro, and Moncaleano were each charged with 2nd-degree Burglary and 3rd-degree Theft.

South Brunswick Police Chief Raymond Hayducka praised the detectives’ efforts in solving the case.

“Our Detective Bureau routinely solves complex cases with old-fashioned police work, and this case was no different,” he said. “The goal was to bring the victims justice, and that’s what they did.”

The South Brunswick Police Department offers educational programs on how residents can protect themselves from becoming burglary victims.

For more information, contact Ofc. Ryan Bartunek at 732-329-4000 x7476 or e-mail him at RBartunek@sbpdnj.net.

Have a correction or news tip? Email sarah.salvadore@patch.com

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