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Using three crowbars he stole from the closed office complex on West Passaic Street, 24-year-old Mused Hauter of Jackson Heights swiped medication, damaged a an elevator and a vacuum cleaner, unplugged an ATM machine and tried breaking into several vehicles in the parking lot before dawn Thursday, Detective Sgt. James DePreta said.
Responding to a call of someone roaming the building hallways, Officers Ryan Burke, Jorge Orihuela, and Joe Buono found Hauter outside a neighboring hotel, DePreta said.
Hauter dropped one of the crowbars as they approached, the sergeant said.
He was carrying two others, as well as small amounts of cocaine and marijuana, he said.
Police charged Hauter with several attempted burglary counts, among other offenses, and released him pending a court hearing.
Businesses that began opening in the building later that morning reported several incidents of criminal mischief, burglary and theft.
After reviewing surveillance video, police re-arrested Hauter and added more burglary, theft and criminal mischief counts, as well as charges for attempted burglary and theft.
He was again charged on a summons and released with a hearing date in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack.
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