National Guardsman Charged In Prospect Park Church, Deli Burglaries

PROSPECT PARK, N.J. – A National Guard infantryman and an accomplice from Hackensack broke into a Prospect Park church and its pantry and made off with $4,000 in valuables, authorities charged.

Robert Santiago, Michael Jefferson
Photo Credit: *MUGSHOTS: Courtesy PROSPECT PARK PD*

Jerry DeMarco

09/01/2017 10:23 a.m.

Michael Jefferson and Robert Santiago of Paterson, both 22, also burglarized a Brown Avenue deli and took 40 cartons of cigarettes, Beats headphones, condoms, cigar wraps and about $200 in coins last Saturday, Detective Walter Richmond said.

The pair stole an Apple Macbook Air laptop, several gift cards and two bank checks from the New Hope Community Ministries on North Street, Richmond said.

Capt. Ammen Matari arrested Jefferson after Sgt. Steven Damiano spotted him walking on Struyk Avenue and North 11th Street while working an off-duty construction detail, the detective said.

Richmond and Detective Robert Torres of the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office then used Santiago’s Facebook page and an automated license plate reader to track down Santiago, the infantryman, he said.

Both were charged with various burglary counts and were sent to the Passaic County Jail pending detention hearings.

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