Paramus NJ police arrested a West New York man for allegedly stealing more than $5,000.00 worth of portable generators from the “Tool Town” hardware store in Paramus NJ.

Police said that multiple witnesses saw 52-year-old Jose Portalatin-Boigue leave the hardware store on Route 17 in Paramus NJ. According to the witnesses, he fled in a 1999 Dodge Van.

When police officers were dispatched to the scene, they saw that the store’s front door had been pried open and discovered that three (3) generators were missing.

Paramus NJ police broadcast to area law enforcement agencies information about the vehicle that was seen leaving the area. Sometime later, Paramus police officers located the van as it traveled east on Route 4. Mr. Portalatin-Boigue was arrested and charged with burglary, theft, and possession of burglary tools.

In NJ, burglary is addressed by N.J.S.A. 2C:18-2. Burglary is a third degree felony, unless a person was injured during the burglary or the burglar was armed. In this case, Mr. Portalatin-Boigue may be charged with third degree burglary. If Mr. Portalatin-Boigue is convicted of third degree burglary, he could be sentenced to as many as five (5) years in state prison.

For more information, read the NJ.com article entitled “Paramus Police Charge West New York Man in ‘Tool Town’ Generator Thefts.“