Accused Closter Burglar ID'd Year Later From Cigarette Butt

CLOSTER, N.J. -- A burglar who couldn't kick the habit was identified a year later after DNA taken from a cigarette butt he left behind during a Closter break-in matched his, authorities told Daily Voice.

Miguel DeJesus
Photo Credit: *MUGSHOT: Courtesy CLOSTER PD*

Jerry DeMarco

09/15/2016 3:37 p.m.

The owners weren't home when several thousand dollars worth of items were stolen, including designer bags and iPods, on July 29, 2015, Detective Sgt. Vincent Aiello said.

Responding offices found the cigarette filter, which they gave to the Bergen County Sheriff's Bureau of Criminal Identification, Aiello said.

The BCI forwarded it to the State Police lab for DNA analysis.

Six days short of a year later, Aiello said, analysts found a match: Miguel DeJesus, 19, who has addresses in Bergenfield and Teaneck.

A judge ordered DeJesus held on $25,000 bail in the Bergen County Jail pending court action on charges of burglary and theft.

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