Green Brook Police Foil Compressor Thieves

Some say the best theft protection is a nosy neighbor, and that's certainy the case for on Route 22.

Green Brook Police received a report of several men moving compressors at the business at 2:30 p.m. April 25, dispatching two officers to investigate. The officers saw three men working in the rear of the business, moving compressors stored near the rear entrance to the shops to a far corner adjoining Riccardi Brothers comstruction property, where an open box truck waited.

The men, later identified as Jonathan and Gregory Price, both 31 and residents of Piscataway, and Thomas Dayon, 29, of Plainfield, told the officers they have been told by a security guard working at National Compressor that the business had abandoned its property in Green Brook, and that the material at the site could be hauled away for recycling.

When police checked with the business' owner, however, this story proved false all the way around—there was no security guard working for them, and the site is not abandoned.

Police were able to prevent any of the compressors, valued at $100 to $300 each, form being taken, even though the trio had moved about 12 in preparation of loading them onto the box truck.

The Prices and Dayon were each charged with theft, and released on their own pending an appearance in municipal court.