Six arrested in 9-month burglary spree in Edison
P.D. played lead role in investigation of Dunkin' Donuts burglaries
BY TOM CAIAZZA
Staff Writer

EDISON - After nine months and close to 100 burgled businesses, the Department of Criminal Justice has announced the arrests of six individuals charged with an alleged burglary spree that netted close to $150,000.

Known as Operation Coffee Break, the investigation was begun and spearheaded largely in part by the Edison Police Department.

After months of cooperative investigation, the investigators were led to Atlantic County, where all six members of the alleged group were arrested.

According to the state Attorney General's Office, Operation Coffee Break was a statewide investigation into 97 burglaries, mostly of Dunkin' Donuts stores and other small businesses, that encompassed every county in New Jersey and some areas of southeastern Pennsylvania.

Rachel Goemaat, a spokesperson for the Attorney General's Office, said that the investigation began with a series of burglaries in the Edison area. The Edison police noticed a pattern in those burglaries and were able to pinpoint that pattern in other burglaries throughout the state.

Edison police Sgt. Robert Dudash said that the department was "intricately involved" in the investigation that included more than 60 law enforcement agencies in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

"It was a lot of different agencies working together," Dudash said, "pooling their information and all working together as a team as far as the investigation goes. Taking tidbits of information from all of these different law enforcement agencies is basically what led to this group in Atlantic City."

Four Dunkin' Donuts stores in Edison and two Asian restaurants were burglarized between April 12 and June 4, 2006, Dudash said. These six were in addition to the 91 others in New Jersey and southeastern Pennsylvania. In each of these cases, the modus operandi was more or less the same.

According to the Attorney General's Office, the burglars would rent vehicles from somewhere in the Atlantic City area and choose small businesses in a multitude of areas.

The burglars would pry open the back doors of the business or twist off a door lock to gain entry. Surveillance videos in many of these places would often show one or more burglars in dark clothes - hooded sweatshirts, masks, gloves and sneakers - carrying dark bags. Burglars would use crowbars to open registers and in some cases would steal the safes located on the premises.

Arthur J. Reynolds, 44, of Atlantic City, and Joseph Thomas Jr., 41, the alleged leaders of the group, were charged with second-degree racketeering conspiracy, second-degree racketeering, third-degree burglary, second-degree theft by unlawful taking, and second-degree money laundering. Three others, Tanika N. Joyce, 29, of Pleasantville, Rasheeda T. Crouch, 28, and Juanita L. Morgan, 27, both of Atlantic City, were charged with the same offenses. Tashana D. Joyce, 24, of Atlantic City was charged with third-degree money laundering, third-degree conspiracy to commit burglary, second-degree conspiracy to commit theft by unlawful taking, and second-degree racketeering conspiracy.

Goemaat said that it was "excellent investigative work" among the collaborating agencies that led to the arrests.

Dudash concurred, saying that to his knowledge, each of the law enforcement agencies worked together, sharing information, working collaboratively in a well-coordinated investigation.

Reynolds and Thomas are being held in Atlantic County jail in lieu of $250,000 cash bail. The remaining defendants are also being held in Atlantic County jail, in lieu of $150,000 cash bail.