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Nicolas G. Torres, 40, of Passaic, has been repeatedly arrested and then subsequently released under New Jersey’s 2017 bail reform law, mostly on commercial burglary charges, over the past several years, records show.
His criminal record stretches back more than a decade before that, however.
Earlier this year, Torres was linked to break-ins at businesses in Fort Lee, Leonia, Englewood Cliffs, Little Falls, Montclair, Ridgewood, Rutherford, and Wyckoff.
Repeat Offender Burglarized Businesses In Bunch Of Bergen County Towns, Police Charge
A few years ago, Torres was charged with breaking into several real estate and doctors’ offices in Maywood, Fort Lee, Oradell, and Westwood, as well as in Middlesex County.
SEE: Judge Frees Ex-Con In Four-Town Bergen Burglary Spree
In just about every case, he was released and then skipped court, records show.
There have also been recent incidents, as well as outstanding warrants, reported out of Bergenfield, Bloomfield, Boonton, Clifton, Denville, East Rutherford, Fort Lee, Lyndhurst, North Haledon, Nutley, and Westwood, according to jail records.
Maywood Detective Shawn Patton quickly identified Torres after retrieving video footage of a burglar forcing his way in through the back door at Timely Dry Cleaners on West Pleasant Avenue the morning of Sept. 18, Detective Sgt. William Phayre said.
Torres bolted after activating an audible alarm, Phayre said.
Patton and Phayre tracked down Torres and seized him in the rear parking lot of a Clifton apartment complex on Monday, Oct. 10.
He's remained in the Bergen County Jail since then, pending a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack on six counts of burglary, four of theft and one of criminal mischief on various dates at various locations.
Phayre thanked Clifton and Westwood police for their assistance.
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