2 serial burglars caught robbing New Jersey homes, police say

🚓 NJ home break-ins dating back to August 2024 connected, police say

🚓 Detectives uncover burglary crew

🚓 One suspect has an extensive criminal record

PERTH AMBOY — Police say they've connected a pair of New Jersey men to home break-ins across North and Central Jersey.

Mohammad Abdeljawad, 41, of North Bergen, and Elias Abreu, 38, of Jersey City, face burglary charges, the Paramus police said on Saturday.

Court records showed the recent charges were connected to Bergen, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, and Middlesex Counties.

"I commend the swift response of our patrol officers and the exceptional work of our detectives in bringing these criminals to justice," Paramus police Chief Robert Guidetti said.

Detectives say they uncovered NJ burglary crew

According to police, Abdeljawad and Abreu broke into two Paramus homes within 14 minutes of each other on Aug. 13, 2024.

Investigators connected a red SUV to both incidents. And the following investigation tied the pair to a burglary crew that broke into homes across the region for the past four months, police said.

Abdeljawad was charged with two counts each of conspiracy to commit burglary and burglary, plus one county each of conspiracy to commit theft and theft. He is being held at Hudson County Jail.

Abreu was charged with two counts of burglary, two counts of criminal mischief, and one count of theft. He was arrested by Perth Amboy police and taken to Morris County Jail.

Extensive criminal history

This is not the first time Abreu has been accused of breaking into homes in New Jersey.

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In 2012, Abreu was charged with burglary and was ultimately sentenced on a third-degree theft charge, according to state records.

Then in April 2020, he was arrested along with five other people — police accused the group of conspiring to steal packages from a Hoboken building and sell them.

Abreu was also accused in 2014 of pointing a gun at a woman in a Jersey City motel. Police said he pulled the weapon during an argument and pointed it at her face.

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