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Robert Solano, 49, is always easy to find – not only because he prefers equipment but because his name is on the side of the van, they said
This time, he snatched a $579 backpack leaf blower off the back of a landscaping truck on Thames Boulevard on Thursday, Detective Lt. William Duran said.
Officers Michael Alvarez, Timothy Knapp and Oscar Lopez found Solano – and the stolen leaf blower – at his home.
They arrested Solano and sent him to the Bergen County Jail to await a detention hearing on a theft charge.
Borough police arrested Solano last month for taking a $1,600 siding trimmer during an overnight burglary at a house under construction,
SEE: Contractor Caught Stealing Items Again, Bergenfield Police Say
During a previous run-ins with the law, Solano was charged in September 2018 with stealing a variety of belongings from homes and businesses in Bergenfield – including a tree, two ladders and several packages – over the course of nearly a month.
Detectives in that case found surveillance video of Solano and his van, with "Solano Painting" emblazoned on the side, authorities said.
SEE: Name On Work Van Foils Painter Who Swiped Tree, Other Items In Theft Spree
Duran reminded residents and merchants to avoid becoming a victim by “doing their best to secure any visible equipment and not to keep any valuables in plain view.
“Most of these crimes can be avoided and are crimes of opportunity,” the lieutenant said.
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