Patrick Ryan of Fairfield, CT was arrested Sunday morning and charged with a total of 74 counts of burglary to a motor vehicle and dozens of other offenses, Hardyston police said in release from the Sussex County Detective’s Association.
A search of Ryan’s house and car turned up nine handguns, a crossbow and a shotgun, as well as numerous stolen purses, wallets, credit cards, personal IDs, gift cards and burglary tools, police said.
Ryan, who is currently on probation for similar crimes in CT, burglarized residents throughout the tri-state area between August 2020 and Jan 2021, typically during the early morning hours, police said.
Ryan’s girlfriend, Chelsea A. Russell, 29, of Fairfield, is also believed to be involved in the string of thefts, police said.
Ryan is facing countless charges from various New Jersey law enforcement agencies including:
- 74 counts of burglary to a motor vehicle
- 13 counts of criminal mischief
- 51 counts of theft of moveable property
- 7 counts of burglary while in possession of firearms
Ryan was being held at Morris County Jail with charges are pending, authorities said.
State Police and dozens of local law enforcement agencies throughout Sussex, Morris, Orange and Fairfield counties assisted in the six-month investigation, authorities said.
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