Two Paterson men who allegedly ransacked a home on Thanksgiving night were apprehended six hours later after they went on a Black Friday shopping spree in Bergen, Essex, Morris and Passaic counties, police said.
Victor Serpa, 22, of Paterson (left) and Shaun Smith, 22 of Paterson (right)CLIFTON -- Two men who ransacked a home on Thanksgiving night were apprehended six hours later after they went on a Black Friday shopping spree in Bergen, Essex, Morris and Passaic counties, police said.
Victor Serpa and Shaun Smith, both 22-year-old Paterson residents, were each charged with burglary and theft in Clifton and fraudulent use of a credit card in Fairfield, Detective Sgt. Robert Bracken said.
The family residing at the East Seventh Street home returned at 11 p.m. on Thanksgiving and found their house ransacked of several thousand dollars worth of electronics, computer equipment, jewelry and personal documents, Bracken said.
Patrol officers Owen Curry and Michael Spano along with Sgt. Mohammad Droubi and Sgt. Darren Brodie investigated the burglary and canvassed the area, which led to a witness description of the vehicle, he said.
That vehicle, Bracken said, was later found on Lily Street in Paterson.
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While officers with the patrol division investigated the burglary, Serpa and Smith allegedly used credit cards stolen from the family to go on a shopping spree throughout northern New Jersey. The duo allegedly spent thousands at stores such as Target and Wal-Mart.
Serpa and Smith, he said, made a large purchase at the Fairfield Target Thanksgiving night and then returned to the store at about 5 a.m. where they were arrested by Fairfield police.
Authorities were able to recover all of the items stolen from the Clifton home as well as the items purchased with the stolen credit cards from both the duo's car and the Lily Street residence.
Bracken said it was the assistance of Fairfield police detectives and the work by Officers Spano and Curry and Sgts. Droubi and Brodie that led to the quick arrest.
Justin Zaremba may be reached at jzaremba@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinZarembaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
