A Stanhope New Jersey man has pleaded guilty to burglarizing a Hopatcong NJ home earlier this year.
According to Sussex County prosecutors, the 34-year-old suspect recently appeared in Sussex County Superior Court in Newton NJ and entered the guilty pleas.
In February, the suspect allegedly broke into residence located on Harris Avenue in Hopatcong New Jersey. Once he was inside the house, the suspect reportedly ate a banana and stole gum. The homeowner later told police that nothing else was missing.
A concerned neighbor saw the suspect enter the unoccupied house and contacted Hopatcong NJ police, which immediately sent officers to the area. When police officers arrived at the scene, they heard noises coming from inside the residence.
The suspect later opened the front door, at which point police officers told him to get on the ground. The suspect allegedly resisted arrest, but police managed to subdue and arrest him.
According to the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office, the suspect gained access to the home “without the owner’s knowledge or consent.”
The suspect recently pleaded guilty to several charges, including resisting arrest, criminal trespass, and a probation violation.
The suspect will be required to return to Sussex County Superior Court on July 10 for formal sentencing. Depending upon the precise terms of the plea deal, the suspect could be subject to serious penalties. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:18-3, the unlicensed entry of a structure is a disorderly persons offense and can result in a sentence of up to 6 months in the local county jail.
For more information about this case, see the NJ.com article entitled “Burglar Who Ate Banana, Stole Gum Pleads Guilty.”
