Asbury Park Man Arrested in Connection with 11 Burglary, Theft Incidents

July 5, 2016

Monmouth County NJ Theft LawyerAfter an ongoing investigation involving 11 separate incidents of burglary or theft in several towns in Monmouth and Ocean counties, Deal Police recently arrested a man from Asbury Park.

According to Sergeant Brian Egan, a spokesman for the Deal Police Department, authorities were investigating the aforementioned incidents for the last two months prior to identifying and apprehending the suspect. Ultimately, 44-year-old Asbury Park resident Louis R. DiLieto Jr. is suspected to have committed burglary and theft crimes in Deal, Interlaken, and Loch Arbour, as well as Tinton Falls. The incidents were all residential in nature, primarily consisting of outdoor items while the residents were not home or the homes were unoccupied.

After multiple burglary incidents, including one that occurred at a home located on Ocean Avenue on April 20th, and another on the same street on May 15th, police began to identify a pattern, which continued in eight additional burglaries between June 15 and June 20. DiLieto was identified via eyewitnesses and surveillance video.

DiLieto is now facing numerous charges, including six counts of burglary, 12 counts of theft, and seven counts of defiant trespass. He is currently being detained at the Monmouth County Jail in lieu of bail set at $94,500.00. It is important to note that DiLieto is charged with both burglary and theft in connection with these incidents. In New Jersey, the law is established such that an individual can be charged with burglary for simply entering a dwelling with the intention of committing a theft. As such, an actual theft committed thereafter may warrant additional theft charges.

As far as the penalties to which DiLieto is exposed, burglary is typically classified as a third-degree crime under N.J.S.A. 2C:18-2. Third-degree crimes are punishable by a New Jersey State Prison term ranging from 3 to 5 years. Theft crimes are distinct in that the degree of the charges is contingent upon the estimated monetary value of the stolen property. For example, according to N.J.S.A. 2C:20-3a, theft of movable property is considered a fourth-degree crime if the property is valued between $200 and $500. Fourth-degree crimes entail a prison sentence of up to 18 months for those convicted.

Obviously, if Mr. DiLieto is found guilty on all counts, he may face an aggregated sentence that may amount to decades in New Jersey State Prison. This, of course, will depend upon the value of the property that he is accused of stealing and the manner in which he stole said property.

For additional information pertaining to this case, access the following article: Man charged in 2-month burglary spree in shore towns, cops say