FRANKLIN BOROUGH, NJ (Sussex County) – A Passaic County man was arrested following a burglary alarm at Hardyston Elementary School in Franklin Borough.
On December 29, 2024, police responded to an activated burglar alarm at Hardyston Elementary School, police said.
Before officers arrived, custodial staff used remote surveillance tools to monitor the property and provided a detailed description of the suspect, allowing officers to begin their search immediately upon arrival, police said.
Upon reaching the scene, officers discovered that a rear window had been forcibly opened. Inside the school, personal belongings believed to belong to the suspect were found in a classroom at the back of the building, police said.
After a brief search of the rear hallway and an adjacent courtyard, officers located Dairius R. Elliott, 32, of West Milford, and took him into custody without incident, police said.
Elliott was charged with fourth-degree criminal trespass and criminal mischief. He was released pending a court appearance in Sussex County Superior Court, in accordance with the New Jersey Bail Reform Act, police said.
