A Tinton Falls man is in the county lockup following an incident in which he was caught carrying black trash bags full of loot from an unoccupied West Westside Avenue house last Friday night, the Asbury Park Press reports.
Sixty-one-year-old Rufus Monroe Jr. was spotted by a neighbor leaving the back yard of the property at about 10:50p with the bags, the Press reports. The neighbor, who was not identified, called after Monroe to stop, and when he didn’t, gave chase.
The samaritan apparently had a cell phone with him, because the newspaper says he called police to tell them what was happening.
From the story:
Sgt. Michael Furlong, Sgt. Michael Frazee and Investigator Errico Vescio responded to the scene, and they caught Monroe as he ran through backyards, police said.
During the foot chase, Monroe dropped the garbage bags, but police recovered them, and inside, they found items including a distinctive tea set, said McCarthy.
Police said they called the residents of the home where Monroe had been seen, and they confirmed the property, including the tea set, belonged to them.
Monroe is being held on $52,000 bail at the Monmouth County Jail in Freehold Township, according to the Press, which also reports that Monroe was sentenced to five years in state prison in 1998 on an eluding charge and has a more recent conviction for fraudulent use of a credit card.
