South Brunswick police located a suspect accused of stealing a running pickup truck from a North Brunswick gas station.
At 5:15 p.m. on Jan. 27, South Brunswick Officer Jamal Benbow was notified that a white Toyota pickup truck had just been stolen out of a gas station on Route 27 in North Brunswick. Around 5:45 p.m. he reportedly located the stolen truck in the Royal Oaks Apartment complex off Route 1. Benbow, along with Officer Brian Luck, Officer George Morgan, Sgt. Richard Schwarz and Sgt. Dennis Yuhasz, conducted a high risk car stop and took the suspect into custody. The 23-year-old South Brunswick male was taken into custody, according to information provided by the South Brunswick Police Department.
In addition to recovering the stolen vehicle, police found seven hypodermic syringes and a heroin fold in the pickup, according to reports.
The suspect was charged with receiving stolen property, possession of a controlled dangerous substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was lodged at the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center pending his first court appearance.
“The officers did an excellent job recovering this pickup truck in less than 45 minutes from when it was stolen. The recovery was a direct result of great communication and teamwork between North Brunswick and South Brunswick police,” South Brunswick Police Chief Raymond Hayducka said in the statement.
According to the statement, the case highlights the need for drivers to not leave their vehicles running even as the temperatures continue to fall. The driver stopped for only a brief period of time to buy something and he left his car running, police said.
