Suspicious person call leads to burglary arrest in Cranford

CRANFORD — A suspicious person call in a residential neighborhood resulted in three burglary arrests by the Cranford Police Department yesterday.

Police credited an alert neighbor who witnessed two suspects attempting to enter an unoccupied home on Morse Street. The resident notified police, who immediately responded to the area with multiple patrol and detective units.

Sergeants Christopher Polito and Anthony Dobbins, and Det. John Swandrak, arrived within moments and interrupted two juvenile male suspects allegedly exiting the dwelling through a rear window. Both suspects were apprehended inside a nearby garage after a foot chase through several yards.

Based on information provided by witnesses, Patrolman Michael Andrews located an occupied beige Mazda minivan several blocks away. Following an investigation at the scene, the driver of that vehicle, Gina Tedesco, 26, of Roselle, was placed under arrest for her alleged connection with the burglary. Police also recovered suspected burglary proceeds in that vehicle from an earlier Cranford incident reported on Feb. 18.

Tedesco was charged with two counts of burglary and one count of receiving stolen property. Both males, 17, are from Roselle, and were charged with three counts of burglary and one count each of criminal mischief, theft and resisting arrest.

Cranford Police Chief James Wozniak credited the quick actions of the alert neighbor with breaking the case. “This case was solved first and foremost because a Cranford resident saw something out of the ordinary and didn’t hesitate to contact the police,” he stated.

All three suspects were processed and released from police custody pending court proceedings.