New Jersey authorities recently apprehended an individual accused of leading a racketeering ring that committed more than 30 burglaries in homes across North Jersey.

According to the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, the suspect was the leader of a theft syndicate that illegally broke into 31 residences in NJ from November 2015 to January 2016. The home burglaries occurred in towns located in Bergen County, Passaic County, and Union County, including Hackensack, Fair Lawn, and Maywood.

For eight months, Bergen County detectives and police officers from several local police departments joined forces to investigate the break-ins. Police were able to detect similarities between most of the thefts: the suspects usually stole cash, jewelry, computers, and TV sets, as well as pillowcases that they used to carry the other stolen items out of the houses.

Bergen County NJ prosecutors said that the main suspect, the alleged ringleader of the theft ring, provided the thieves with burglary tools and motor vehicles. The main suspect also reportedly sold the stolen property and then gave the illegal proceeds to his co-conspirators in the burglaries.

Police were eventually able to identify and locate the suspect. He was recently arrested at a residence in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, making him the third alleged member of the criminal organization to be placed under arrest by NJ authorities.

The main, a 45-year-old Passaic NJ man, faces several criminal charges, including burglary, theft of movable property, racketeering, conspiracy, and dealing in stolen property.

The other suspects in the case include a 23-year-old male from Passaic, a 28-year-old male from Old Bridge NJ, and a 45-year-old male from Garfield, New Jersey.

The main suspect is currently in police custody at the Bergen County Jail in Hackensack NJ, where he is being held on a $500K bail amount.

For additional information about this case, see the NJ.com article, “Police Arrest Leader of Burglary Ring That Hit 31 Homes in Three Counties.”