Jewelry bags and ski mask bust Trenton man in Monroe home break-in
MONROE TOWNSHIP, NJ — A shattered glass door and ransacked bedrooms led Monroe Township officers to a Trenton man now behind bars, after a stolen-goods-filled glovebox exposed his alleged role in a bold residential burglary in a quiet suburban neighborhood.
Officers were called to a home in the Dynasty Estates development around 5:15 p.m. on Nov. 10, where homeowners reported a break-in through their rear sliding door and the theft of jewelry and electronics. Several upstairs bedrooms had been rifled through.
Surveillance video from the area showed a dark SUV with distinctive damage, including a broken driver’s side taillight and mismatched passenger wheels, circling the neighborhood during the time of the burglary. License plate recognition tools helped investigators trace the vehicle to Trenton.
Two days later, on Nov. 12, Monroe Township detectives located the SUV in Trenton and pulled it over after it left a parking lot on West Hanover Street. The driver, identified as 25-year-old Fausto Peralta, had multiple outstanding warrants.
During the stop, police said Peralta opened the glove compartment in front of officers, revealing two large bags of jewelry, along with a ski mask and gloves. A consent search of the vehicle uncovered more items reportedly stolen from the Monroe home, including gaming consoles, watches, and other valuables.
Peralta was arrested on the spot and taken to Monroe Township Police Headquarters, where he was charged with second-degree burglary, third-degree money laundering, and third-degree receiving stolen property. He was later transported to the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities believe some of the items found may be tied to additional unsolved burglaries.
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Key Points
- Fausto Peralta, 25, of Trenton, was arrested in connection to a Nov. 10 Monroe Township home burglary
- Suspect was identified through surveillance footage and vehicle recognition systems
- Glovebox search revealed stolen jewelry, ski mask, and burglary tools