NJ man accused of smash and grab to steal $9K in lottery tickets

A 41-year-old Burlington County man has been busted for stealing $9,300 in New Jersey lottery tickets from a convenience store in Somerset County.

Joseph Holman, of Willingboro, was already in police custody when he was dealt charges related to the smash and grab robbery last month.

Franklin police, smashed glass (Franklin Police, Canva)

On March 14 just after 8 a.m., Franklin Township Police Department received a 911 call reporting the burglary of a convenience store on Easton Avenue.

Overnight, a person had smashed the front door — causing $3,000 in damage — and stolen the massive stash of scratch-off tickets, which were later validated, according to the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office.

Easton Avenue Franklin Township (Google Maps)

Detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Burglary Unit and the Franklin Township Police Department determined Holman was a suspect in the smash and grab.

On April 4, he was charged with third-degree counts of burglary and theft, as well as fourth-degree criminal mischief and possession of burglary tools, a disorderly person’s offense.

Joseph Holman, of Willingboro (SCPO)

Holman has been at the Middlesex County jail on unrelated charges since March 20.

He would remain in custody, pending a detention hearing in this matter.

A separate lottery ticket theft was reported in the same town, days earlier.

The 15 best places to live in New Jersey

Listed in descending order, here are the 15 places in New Jersey that Niche graded the highest.

Gallery Credit: New Jersey 101.5

NJ towns with the biggest increases in wealth

Top 20 municipalities in New Jersey where the median household income has grown the most in a decade. The data is based on U.S. Census' American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for the years 2012 and 2022.

Gallery Credit: New Jersey 101.5

LOOK: Here's how much grocery shopping now costs in the U.S.

The average cost of groceries for one person per month in 2023 was around $337. But how does your state compare? Do you pay more, or less? Data compiled by Zippia takes a look at the average monthly grocery bill per person in all 50 states. States are listed from least expensive to most expensive and are rounded up to the nearest dollar.

Gallery Credit: Mike Brant

Here's how NJ prices have changed: Now, 10, 20 years ago

From food items to popular clothing to entertainment outings — here's a roundup of what things cost in 2023, as compared to estimates from 2013 and 2003.

Gallery Credit: Erin Vogt