Police tie teens to Toms River burglaries

     18-year-old Matthew Maffie, left, and Stephanie Rapp, also 18, were recently arrested by the Toms River Police Department for their involvement in a string of recent burglaries. (Photos courtesy of the Toms River Police Department)

    18-year-old Matthew Maffie, left, and Stephanie Rapp, also 18, were recently arrested by the Toms River Police Department for their involvement in a string of recent burglaries. (Photos courtesy of the Toms River Police Department)

    Two 18-year-olds were arrested for their alleged involvement in a string of recent residential burglaries in Toms River, police announced today.

    Matthew Maffie, of Terrace Avenue in Toms River, forcibly entered targeted homes and removed cash, jewelry, and electronics, while Stephanie Rapp, of Oak Glen Road in Toms River, assisted Maffie by selling some of the stolen property to local pawn shops and gold buyers, said Ralph Stocco, spokesman for the Toms River Police Department, in a release.

    The burglaries occurred during both the daytime and evening hours in the Georgetown section of the Township between July 21, 2014 and August 5, 2014, according to Stocco. 

    Police received a break in the case when investigating officers Daniel Ruiz and Ryan Cummings located a witness who provided a partial license plate that had been observed in the area, Stocco said.

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    “Officer Ruiz utilized his in car computer and researched motor vehicle records which located a vehicle matching what the witness had described,” he said. “The police department’s database was checked and Maffie was developed as a suspect because of his previous use of the vehicle that was observed near the crime scene.”

    Maffie and Rapp were arrested on August 7, 2014.

    Maffie, who was charged with burglary and theft, was released on $10,000 bail. Rapp was charged with receiving stolen property and released on a summons.

    A majority of the property has been recovered and returned to the victims, according to Stocco. 

    Det. Louis Santora also assisted in the investigation and arrest.

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