Prosecutor: Car Burglars Take Off, Hide from Police Before Arrest in Somerset County

Three Florida men have been arrested and charged for the burglaries of multiple cars parked at the Sourland Mountain Preserve Park in Hillsborough on Saturday.

According to the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, Hillsborough Police received word of a car burglary just before noon on Sept. 5. A purse was reportedly stolen from a Honda CRV parked at the park, located on East Mountain Road.

“The caller told the dispatcher after the burglary was committed that they witnessed a 4 door brunt orange Jeep with tinted windows, bearing out of state license plates leave the parking lot, at a high rate of speed,” according to the prosecutor’s office. “Once at the park responding officers discovered that 4 additional vehicles were broken into and purses were also stolen from those vehicles as well.”

A short time later, a Hillsborough Patrol Officer noticed a Jeep matching the description of the one in the parking lot speeding on Amwell Road. As he turned his patrol vehicle around and turned its sirens on the Jeep sped off.

The patrol officer lost sight of the vehicle until arriving at the intersection of Amwell and Wertsville Roads.

“The suspect vehicle, a 2015 Jeep bearing Georgia state license plates had been involved in a motor vehicle collision with a pick-up truck,” according to the prosecutor’s office. “The driver of the truck informed [the officer] that after the crash 3 black males immediately jumped out of the Jeep.”

Additional Hillsborough Township Officers, Raritan Township Officers, and The New Jersey State Police Aviation Unit began searching the area of Wertsvilleand Amwell Roads for the suspects. After an extensive search, the 3 suspects were located and apprehended.

The suspects

James Maxwell, 26, of Lauderdale Lakes, Fla.:

• Maxwell, was located on Amwell Road while walking in the roadway.
• He has been charged with 5 counts of Burglary, 3rd Degree and Theft, 3rd Degree.

Anthony Robinson, 27, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.:

• Robinson was found hiding in a shed located behind a house on Amwell Road in the vicinity of Wertsville Road.
• He has been charged with 5 counts of Burglary, 3rd Degree, Theft, 3rd Degree, and one count of and Eluding, 2nd Degree.

Demetrius Robinson, 25, of Lauderdale Lakes, Fla.:

• Robinson was located hiding in a tree near Wertsville Road.
• He has been charged with 5 counts of Burglary, 3rd Degree and Theft, 3rd Degree.

A search warrant was obtained for the suspect vehicle and the following items were seized:

• Florida issued drivers licenses belonging to the 3 suspects.
• A black colored spring activated window punch for shattering windows.
• The 5 stolen purses ( their con tents were scattered near a residence on Amwell Road).

Pictured from left to right: Anthony Robinson, Demetrius Robinson, James Maxwell