Following a 24-hour investigation, an Elizabeth man was taken into custody on May 5^th 2022 after the Cranford Police Department investigated three separate business burglaries occurring within the Township of Cranford. 

On May 4^th, 2022 at approximately 0025 hours, police were dispatched to a burglary alarm activation at a business located on the 400 block of South Avenue East.  Arriving police units observed that the business’ window was smashed and entry had been made into the retail section of the business.  Detective Jason D’Agostino from the Investigative Division was dispatched to this location and began processing the scene.  A short while later at approximately 0041 hours, Officer Christopher Gross was patrolling his business district on Raritan Road where he discovered another burglarized convenience store on Raritan Road.  As police investigated these two burglaries, at approximately 0140 hours, police were dispatched to a business on the 400 Block of North Avenue East for a burglary alarm activation.  Once again, arriving police units observed that the front glass door was broken and confirmed that this business had also been burglarized. 

During the course of these concurrent investigations in Cranford, surveillance footage at these businesses captured a Red Mitsubishi occupied by a heavyset white male suspect with short hair at the burglary locations.  Detective D’Agostino determined that over the past three months, several Union County agencies have taken reports of “smash and grab” burglaries to convenience store and gas stations. Specifically, Roselle, Linden, Elizabeth, Westfield, Roselle Park, and Rahway have all broadcasted bulletins depicting a white heavy-set male with a “buzz cut” wearing glasses at the scene of reported burglaries.  Working with surrounding agencies, Detective Jason D’Agostino was able to identify the suspect as 52-year-old Antoni Kuhl of Elizabeth NJ. 

The Union County Prosecutor’s Office granted charge approval and Antoni Kuhl was arrested on three counts of 3^rd Degree Burglary, two counts of 3^rd Degree Theft and three counts of 4^th Degree Criminal Mischief.  Kuhl was taken into custody by the Elizabeth Police Department on May 5^th, 2022 and was detained while awaiting a Superior Court Appearance hearing.  In addition, Kuhl was held on pending burglary charges out of Linden, Rahway, Roselle Park, Westfield and Elizabeth.