BRANCHBURG TOWNSHIP, NJ (Somerset County) – A Somerset County man has been arrested for allegedly receiving stolen property from two burglaries in Branchburg Township, according to Acting Somerset County Prosecutor Annmarie Taggart.
On May 9, police responded to a residential burglary on River Road in Branchburg Township. A witness reported seeing a work van in the area and provided the responding officers a description of that vehicle, Taggart said.
On June 9, at around 3:26 a.m. a resident of Cedar Grove Road called police reporting that an unknown man had attempted to enter his parked vehicle but subsequently fled when he observed the caller, Taggart said.
A second resident from Cedar Grove Road also reported to police that someone had entered their parked vehicle and removed a backpack containing two laptop computers and several other electronic items sometime during the early morning hours, Taggart said.
The investigation led authorities to obtain a search warrant which was subsequently executed on Friday, June 10 at an area hotel room where Jason Milak, 24, of Branchburg Township had been residing, Taggart said.
A search of the room revealed proceeds from the vehicle burglary along with drug paraphernalia. Detectives also located stolen credit cards belonging to the homeowner from the burglary on River Road, Taggart said.
Branchburg police officers subsequently arrested defendant Jason Milak on June 10 at his place of employment without incident, Taggart said.
Milak was charged with third-degree receiving stolen property, fourth-degree fraudulent possession of a credit card, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was lodged in the Somerset County Jail pending a detention hearing, Taggart said.
Anyone with information relating to this incident to contact the Branchburg Township Police Department at 908-526-3830 or via the STOPit app. The STOPit app allows citizens to provide anonymous reports including videos and photos. STOPit can be downloaded to your smart phone for free at the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, access code: SOMERSETNJ. Information can also be provided through the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477). All anonymous STOPit reports and Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.
