NJ cops: Man or woman, this person was wanted for theft

A man who was wanted on a theft charge in northern New Jersey has turned himself in after police released pictures of him dressed as a woman, saying he was wanted for a crime.

Michael Mathews, 46, of Sparta, turned himself in at Sussex Station Friday after feeling the "pressure" as a result of a New Jersey State Police Facebook post, the state police said in a follow-up post Monday.

That original post made it known Matthews sometimes dresses as a woman.

State police didn't specify in their description whether Matthews is transgender and whether Matthews identifies as female.

"That's really none of our business,"Sgt. Jeff Flynn told New Jersey 101.5. "We indicated that because information was gathered because at times he used the alias Cindy Kirk and dressed as a female. Why and for what purpose, that's really none of our concern."

Flynn said he didn't know which name Matthews considered his primary identity, but said Michael Matthews is his legal name and the one police would use to identify him.

"If he dressed as a Spider-Man on the weekends, we'd say in the description he dressed as Spider-man."

Mathews was wanted for allegedly selling a fraudulent vehicle warranty worth more than $4,500 to a Sussex Borough man in 2013. Sussex Station detectives were searching for Matthews when police posted his image and asked for the public's assistance.

Louis C. Hochman is digital managing editor for NJ1015.com. Reach him at louis.hochman@townsquaremedia.com or on Twitter @LouisCHochman.