Beginning in Oct. 2011, police in Moorestown, Medford, Mount Laurel, Evesham, Voorhees, Haddonfield and the Camden County Prosecutors Office have investigated 27 residential burglaries. The victims of the burglaries have reported that cash, jewelry, antiques, electronics, coins and other items valued at over $2 million have been stolen during the course of those crimes.
As the investigations progressed, detectives in Moorestown and Voorhees collected certain evidence at the crime scenes, which later led them to a possible suspect and a possible accomplice.
Over the last several months, police officers and detectives from the aforementioned police agencies consistently communicated with one another about the burglaries and eventually formed a “Task Force” to share information and work in concert with one another in an effort to solve these crimes.
As their investigation progressed, two suspects were positively identified as Darious Gittens, 58, and Geoffrey Petit, 47, both of Medford.
On Sept. 5 members of the Medford, Moorestown, Evesham, and Voorhees Police Departments executed arrest warrants on both Gittens and Petit based on charges issued out of Moorestown. Gittens was taken into custody at his home and Petit was taken into custody during a motor vehicle stop as he was leaving his home. At the same time, search warrants were executed on the homes and vehicles of both suspects. Over the course of the recent investigation, detectives have continued to investigate and have recovered over 400 items were believed to have been stolen during the burglaries. Included in the items recovered was a handgun stolen from a home in Haddonfield.
On Sept. 14, Gittens and Petit were again arrested and charged with numerous crimes pertaining to the remaining burglaries. They were each charged with multiple counts of burglary, theft, criminal mischief, interception of emergency communication for an unlawful purpose and
In addition, Petit was charged with impersonating a public servant, receiving stolen property, possession of a stun gun and one count of certain persons not to have weapons. Gittens was also charged with possession of a stun gun, possession of handcuffs, unlawful possession of a handgun, and two counts of certain persons not to have weapons. Gittens was remanded to the Camden County Jail in lieu of $150,000 full bail. Petit was remanded to the Burlington County Jail in lieu of $230,000 bail.
The investigation pertaining to the burglaries is continuing. In the coming weeks, police intend to display the stolen items to the victims in an effort to return the recovered property to their rightful owners.
