In his most recent run-in with the law, a Wyckoff man was charged with burglary, possession of burglary tools, possession of heroin, and possession of drug paraphernalia, after allegedly breaking into his grandmother’s Wyckoff residence.

The new allegations represent 23-year-old third criminal case since late July, when he was arrested for theft and then heroin possession the following day.

The theft charges originated from an incident involving the theft of his grandmother’s vehicle. After a prolonged investigation conducted by Wyckoff Police, officials identified the defendant as the individual who stole the 88-year-old woman’s car. They accused him of subsequently selling it for $150 in heroin and $200 in cash.

The next day, he was arrested again, this time by an officer from the Hawthorne Police Department, who charged him with heroin possession. The arresting officer reportedly seized three bags of heroin from the defendant after he was almost hit by a car while riding a bicycle.

With regard to the most recent charges against him, Wyckoff Police Chief Benjamin Fox announced that the defendant was arrested on Friday, October 10th at his grandmother’s home on Grandview Avenue. The investigating officers at the scene noted multiple signs of forced entry and then discovered him asleep in a small storage building on the property. The defendant was then taken into custody and remained held at the Bergen County Jail with hit bail set at $5,000.

In New Jersey, burglary is typically considered a third degree felony, punishable by a 3 to 5-year New Jersey State Prison sentence. According to N.J.S.A. 2C:35-10, heroin possession is also a third degree crime, warranting the same penalties in addition to a fine of up to $35,000.

On the other hand, offenses involving theft can vary significantly in terms of the degree of the charges associated with a specific case. With respect to the charges against the defendant, he is accused of stealing an automobile, which is a distinct crime codified under N.J.S.A. 2C:20-3. It is important to note that the grading and penalties for theft of a vehicle are not determined by the value of the alleged stolen property, like most theft offenses. Instead, this theft of an automobile is a third degree crime (at the minimum), and can also result in a 10-year driver’s license suspension.

For additional information pertaining to this ongoing story, access the following article: Heroin addict who sold grandmother’s car for heroin caught sleeping after breaking into her house, Wyckoff police say