BY TOM CLANCEY
OF PASCACK PRESS
WESTWOOD, N.J. –– Westwood Police say they caught a 20-year-old Teaneck man rummaging through a bedroom dresser inside a Williams Street residence and arrested him for burglary and other charges on Nov. 13.
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Jacob Gibbs, the suspect, initially attempted to flee into a nearby bathroom when confronted by officers, but was taken into custody, Lt. Matthew McClutchy said, in a statement.
“[Gibbs] was found in possession of a quantity of jewelry, cash, cellular phones, and wallets not belonging to him,” McClutchy said.
Gibbs also possessed marijuana, burglar tools, and a spring loaded switch blade knife when arrested, McClutchy said.
Officers had been responding to a 911 call at 12:13 p.m. reporting a burglary in progress at the residence and found an unoccupied running vehicle outside, McClutchy told Pascack Press. The vehicle had been reported stolen from Teaneck earlier that day, he said.
“Upon arrival at the residence, the officers discovered that the rear door was open with indications of a forced entry,” McClutchy said. “They made entry and ascertained that there was an individual still in the home.”
That’s when they ascended the stairs and confronted the man, later identified as Gibbs, McClutchy said.
Detective Sgt. Rod Fortunat said the two officers who initially responded followed protocol in systematically searching the home for suspects, and were quickly backed up by another officer from Westwood and one from Hillsdale.
“Fortunately for us, additional help was only a minute or two away,” said Fortunat, adding that more officers from Westwood and Emerson soon arrived at the scene. Later, investigators from the Bergen County Sheriff’s Department’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation processed the scene.
Gibbs is charged with burglary (third degree); two counts of receiving stolen property (one a third degree, one a disorderly persons charge); possession of a weapon (third degree); burglary tools (fourth degree); and possession of marijuana (a disorderly persons offense).
Gibbs is scheduled to appear in Bergen County Central Judicial Processing Court on Friday, Dec. 1. He was held in Bergen County Jail until Nov. 14 at 8:24 p.m., sheriff’s department records show.
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