Man Charged In Wall Township Restaurant Break-Ins: Police

WALL, NJ — A New Jersey man is facing multiple charges in connection with a series of commercial break-ins that occurred along Route 33/34 in May, Wall Township Police said.

Dashawn Durant, 34, of Jersey City, was charged with two counts of burglary, two counts of theft, and two counts of criminal mischief (disorderly persons) in connection with the incidents, police said.

On the morning of May 9, Wall Township Police patrols responded to Perusa, Smokehouse Grill & BBQ, and the Roadside Diner following reports of break-ins, where officers found that forced entry had been made into each establishment during the overnight hours.

While the Roadside Diner was vacant at the time, police said cash proceeds were stolen from the other two businesses, and significant damage was caused to the properties, including broken doors and damaged registers.

Following these incidents, Wall Police Detective Devin Corso initiated an investigation, working closely with the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office and several neighboring municipal police departments.

Through inter-agency intelligence sharing, detectives determined that the break-ins were part of a larger pattern of crimes affecting multiple counties, police said.

By collaborating with these partner agencies and using various investigative resources, detectives were able to identify and charge Durant while he was already in custody for a separate investigation by the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office.

In addition to Durant, police said investigators also determined that a second suspect was involved in these incidents. The case remains active as detectives work to identify the second person.

"This arrest highlights the importance of collaboration between law enforcement agencies," Wall Police Lieutenant Steven Nash said. "By sharing intelligence and resources with our partners in Somerset County and beyond, we were able to identify and charge Durant for victimizing our local business community."

"We would like to thank the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office and the New Jersey State Police for their vital assistance in bringing this investigation to a successful conclusion,” Nash continued.

Anyone with information regarding these incidents or the identity of the second suspect is asked to contact Detective Devin Corso of the Wall Township Police Department at (732) 449-4500 or dcorso@wallpolice.org.

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