BRICK – Handguns were recovered from two unrelated crime scenes, police said.
The first was at around 12 p.m. on September 20. A homeowner saw someone breaking into his Old Toms River Road house on his surveillance system and called police.
Meanwhile, an off-duty officer found a handgun on a nearby street. This was later determined to have been stolen during the burglary and discarded by the suspect, police said.
A description of the suspect led to the arrest of Steven Borriello, 35, of Toms River. He was charged with Burglary, Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, Theft and Criminal Mischief.
At 6:30 p.m., also on September 20, a resident called police and told them that he saw two people wearing ski masks drive past in a black Honda.
Officers spotted the vehicle on Mantoloking Road and pulled it over in the area of Chambers Bridge Road near Kohl’s plaza. One of the officers saw a passenger reach for something on the floor of the car.
The driver and the passenger were ordered out of the car and were detained. A handgun and a high capacity magazine was recovered, police said.
The driver, Ectgar Candia Paz, 18, of Somerset, was charged with possession of a defaced weapon, unlawful possession of a handgun, possession of a high capacity magazine and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
His passenger was a juvenile who was charged with juvenile delinquency and was sent to the Juvenile Detention Center in Toms River.
Police Chief David Forrester thanked residents for their assistance. “We ask that residents remain vigilant and assist us by calling the police immediately if they notice anyone or anything suspicious.”
