NORRISTOWN >> Two New Jersey men are headed to state prison for their roles in a rash of burglaries and vehicular break-ins in Montgomery, Chester and Berks counties.
Joseph Cerrone Jr., 36, of Sicklerville, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to 3 1/2 to seven years in state prison after he pleaded guilty to charges of burglary, conspiracy to engage in theft from a motor vehicle and receiving stolen property in connection with incidents that occurred in May 2016 in the tri-county area.
Matthew William Lafferty, 27, of Mount Holly, was sentenced to three to six years in state prison after he pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit burglary, theft from a motor vehicle and receiving stolen property in connection with the same incidents.
Judge Todd D. Eisenberg also ordered the men to share in the payment of restitution totaling $19,982 to the victims of the crimes. The judge ordered Lafferty and Cerrone to have no contact with any of the victims and to stay away from the businesses that were targeted.
An investigation began on May 23, 2016, when Lower Providence police were notified by authorities from Newtown Township, Bucks County, that they arrested Cerrone and Lafferty for allegedly operating a stolen Mercedes Benz and discovered items inside the vehicle that belonged to residents of Lower Providence. The items, including various electronics, cameras and cash, were reported stolen from motor vehicles on May 11 in Lower Providence, according to a criminal complaint.
Throughout the morning of May 11 a total of 15 vehicles, all parked in front of the owners’ residences and unlocked, were entered and ransacked, Lower Providence police said. Additionally, a burglary was reported that same day at Hildebrandt’s Auto Body and at Audubon Upholstery along Egypt Road in Lower Providence, according to court documents.
Using various law enforcement tools, investigators became aware of similar burglaries and thefts from motor vehicles in several other jurisdictions, including Whitemarsh and Upper Salford townships and Pennsburg Borough in Montgomery County; West Pikeland, Uwchlan and Upper Uwchlan townships in Chester County; and in Caernarvon Township in Berks County.
Authorities identified a total of 39 victims, including Gardeners Landscaping in Uwchlan Township, Chester County, Harmony Church in Caernarvon Township, Berks County, and Young’s Tire in Pennsburg, and Fuzzy Dice Auto Sales in Upper Salford, Montgomery County, according to court documents. The break-ins occurred between May 14 and May 18, court documents indicate.
On May 21, Newtown Township police in Bucks County conducted a traffic stop of a Mercedes Benz vehicle that had been reported stolen in Berlin Township, N.J., according to the arrest affidavit. Lafferty and Cerrone were occupying the vehicle, police said.
Inside the vehicle, authorities also found glass jars with marijuana residue and various drug paraphernalia, court documents indicate.
Detectives then relied on video surveillance and fingerprint analysis to link Lafferty and Cerrone to the various burglaries and thefts that occurred in Montgomery, Chester and Berks counties.
The judge recommended that Cerrone and Lafferty be housed at the State Correctional Institution at Chester, Delaware County, which provides substance abuse treatment programs for inmates.
