Over the course of six days from March 26th through April 1st, Detective William Hetrick arrested three subjects in connection with five burglaries (and the sale of stolen property) that were committed within Barnegat Township. The burglaries, which occurred between February 12th and March 24th, were committed at residences on Bilge Avenue, Ida Court, Starboard Avenue, and Gunning River Road.
Arrested were Jason Cranmer, 30, of Manahawkin, James Episale, 71, of Manahawkin, and Charles Eble 3rd, 39, of Barnegat.
The first lead in the case came when Detective Hetrick determined that a Tag Heuer watch sold at an area business had been stolen in one of the burglaries. As the investigation was continuing, members of the Barnegat Police Narcotics Unit arrested Eble during an unrelated drug investigation and found him to be in possession of a diamond tennis bracelet which had been stolen from one of the burglarized homes. Episale was then developed as a fencing suspect as the investigation continued.
Cranmer was arrested on March 26th and was charged with burglary and theft. He was lodged in the Ocean County Jail in default of $15,000 bail.
Episale was arrested on March 27th and was charged with fencing (3rd degree). He was processed and released pending a court date.
Eble, who was already incarcerated in the Ocean County Jail on drug charges stemming from his arrest by the Barnegat Police Narcotics Unit, was charged on April 1st with 4 counts of burglary, 2 counts of 3rd degree theft, 1 count of 4th degree theft, 2 counts of criminal mischief, and receiving stolen property. An additional $42,500 bail was placed on Eble for the listed charges and he remained lodged in the Ocean County Jail.
No additional stolen property was recovered.
