Three people from Florida charged in a "smash and grab" burglary in Hunterdon County in July have been indicted by a Grand Jury.
FLEMINGTON -- Three people from Florida charged in a "smash and grab" burglary in July have been indicted by a Hunterdon County Grand Jury.
The trio - Devonte Deshawn Jean-Pierre, 20, Selassie Ward, 19, and Ourian Duroseau, Jr., 20, all of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. - were each indicted on four separate counts: Third-degree burglary, third-degree conspiracy, fourth-degree theft and fourth-degree criminal mischief.
Police had told to be on the lookout for a Hyundai Sonata with Tennessee plates that was being used in "smash and grab" burglaries around New Jersey.
Township police received a call at 3:30 p.m. on July 27 from Readington Township police advising them to check health and fitness centers in Clinton Township because several burglaries of vehicles had just happened at the Deer Path YMCA in Readington, it was previously reported.
Man indicted on gun, drug charges
A Clinton Township Police detective saw the Hyundai in the parking lot of Snap-Fitness at the Beaver Brook Concourse. The detective and arriving patrol officers approached the car and smelled marijuana, police said.
They were arrested and charged with possessing the government document of another, receiving stolen property, possession of burglars' tools and possession of less than 50 grams of marijuana.
Jean-Pierre was also found to be entered into the National Crime Information Center system as "wanted" out of Black Hawk County, Iowa, stemming from prior charges of burglary of a motor vehicle and possession of a controlled dangerous substance, though Iowa authorities would not extradite from New Jersey.
Bail was set at $5,000 and all three men were turned over to the Readington Township Police where they were later charged with burglary, theft, criminal mischief and conspiracy.
According to the indictment, they had allegedly stolen purses containing drivers' licenses, credit cards and other personal items from vehicles by breaking the windows of each vehicle with a hand held window punch.
If convicted on all charges, they each face a maximum of 13 years in State Prison and $50,000 in fines.