Police have made an arrest in relation to a series of commercial burglaries that occurred in Maplewood earlier this month.
On Tuesday, November 28, Maplewood Police Detectives charged 52-year-old Christopher Ransom of Irvington, NJ with recent commercial burglaries at Artie’s, Sabatino’s and an auto shop on Millburn Avenue, according to Maplewood Police.
On Saturday morning, November 11, a brick was thrown through a glass door at Artie’s on Newark Way in Maplewood. Surveillance video showed a man then crashing through the door and leaving with cash registers. On Sunday morning, Nov. 12, Sabatino’s on Valley Street experienced an identical early morning burglary — also caught on security video.
The auto theft at the Millburn Avenue business also occurred in early November.
Ransom was previously charged in a similar smash and grab incident at Pickett’s on Millburn Avenue in June.
Regarding the recent incidents, Maplewood Police charged Ransom with three counts of 2nd degree Burglary, one count of 3rd degree Theft of a Motor Vehicle, three counts of Criminal Mischief, and Theft.
“This arrest and these charges were a direct result of a multi-jurisdictional cooperation and effort,” wrote Maplewood Police Officer Bruno Marto in a press release on November 30. “Ransom is currently still in custody at the county jail.”
Ransom was previously arrested and charged for a smash-and-grab burglary at Pickett’s in Maplewood that took place on June 26, 2023. Last summer, Ransom was arrested and charged with Burglary, Criminal Mischief, and Theft in that incident.
South Orange Police have reported that a Nov. 7 incident at Town Hall Deli was unrelated. Per the South Orange Police blotter on November 15: “South Orange Police responded to a restaurant on First Street on an activated burglar alarm [on November 7]. Responding officers discovered that the glass of the front door had been shattered by a rock. It was further discovered that the cash had been stole from inside the store. The burglary was captured on store security cameras and a suspect has been identified.”
South Orange Police Chief Ernesto Morillo reported, “These jobs are showing as unrelated at this time. Our incident has yielded a positive ID of a former employee of Town Hall Deli. This person has been charged and that case is closed. Please look for an update on our blotter with more information.”
