Shoplifting Arrests – Drug Possession, Multi-Agency Investigation

[Chief M Richards]

Officers responded to the Kohl’s Department Store on North Park Drive on Wednesday February 28, 2018 at 2:22 PM for a report of a shoplifting.  Employees reported a male shoplifted multiple vacuum cleaners and ran out of the store, knocking the sliding door off of its tracks, to a waiting vehicle with a driver and fled the scene.  A search of the immediate area was negative for the suspect vehicle. The vehicle and suspect descriptions were then shared with other agencies to be on the lookout for them.

The shoplifted vacuums were described as I-Robot vacuums with total value of $1709.97.  A review of surveillance video footage revealed the suspect vehicle license plate number and it was further learned that the suspect vehicle was involved in similar shoplifting incidents at Kohl’s stores in Wayne, Clifton and Succasunna.

At about 2:38 PM, the NJ State Police reported that they had the suspect vehicle stopped on Route 15 in Sparta Twp. near the Lafayette Twp. line.  Troopers recovered the stolen vacuum cleaners and also found the suspects to be in possession of heroin and drug paraphernalia.

The shoplifting suspect, who was a passenger in the vehicle, was identified as Jordan Gonchoroff, age 23 of Ridgewood NJ.  The driver of the vehicle was identified as Christopher Basenese, age 35 of Budd Lake NJ.

Once the State Police were finished with charging and processing the two, they were then taken to Newton PD where they were charged with the following:

• Gonchoroff – Shoplifting NJS 2C:20-11b(1) [Third Degree Crime]
• Basenese – Conspiracy to Commit Shoplifting NJS 2C:5-2a(1) of 2C:20-11b(1). [Third Degree Crime]

Both subjects were served summons complaints and released on their own recognizance pending Court.  The stolen property was returned Kohl’s.

The case was investigated by Ptl. Mahir Kaylani and assisted by Ptl. Scott Vertetis, Det. Sgt. Steve VanNieuwland and Det. Joseph D’Annibale as well as Detectives and Troopers from the New Jersey State Police.  Case information was shared with all other agencies where related criminal activity may have occurred.