Somerset County Prosecutor Geoffrey D. Soriano, Somerset County Chief of County Detectives Timothy Fitzgerald and Branchburg Township Chief of Police David Young announce the arrest of Scott Robert Esser, 42, of Elizabeth.
Prosecutor Soriano states that on July 27, 2015, the Somerset County Communications Center received, what appeared to them to be, an errant, open-line emergency cellular telephone call (commonly referred to as a “butt dial”). County Dispatchers continued to monitor male voices discussing an apparent burglary but were unsure of the caller’s location.
Later that same evening, Branchburg Township Police responded to a reported burglary of a residence on Lamington Road. Police found that the subject home was entered by force, and dresser drawers were emptied of their contents. The homeowner reported $1,355.00 in miscellaneous jewelry had been stolen.
Prosecutor Soriano states that a cellular telephone company confirmed that the cell phone from which the errant call was made to the 911 Center had recently been assigned to defendant Robert Esser.
Prosecutor Soriano states that on Wednesday, August 5, 2015, Detectives assigned to the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Burglary Task Force surveilled defendant Esser as he travelled by car from the City of Elizabeth into Stafford Township in Ocean County.
At the time, Esser was alone and operating a silver 2002 Toyota Camry. Task Force Detectives ultimately followed the defendant’s vehicle to Mermaid Drive but lost sight of the suspect when he exited his vehicle. After the defendant was observed departing the area in his vehicle, Task Force detectives inspected a dwelling on Mermaid Drive and identified a forced entry of same. The defendant’s vehicle was then stopped on the Garden State Parkway by the New Jersey State Police assigned to the Bass River Barracks.
Esser was arrested and taken into custody by Task Force detectives. The defendant’s vehicle was impounded and towed to the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Forensic Lab.
A search warrant for vehicle was obtained and, detectives conducted a search of the vehicle.
The search resulted in the seizure of miscellaneous pieces of jewelry, electronic devices, a Playstation 4 gaming system, a .38 Caliber handgun, U.S. Bonds worth approximately $11,300.00 and burglary tools.
Defendant Esser has been charged with Burglary, 3rd Degree (2 counts), Theft, 3rd Degree (2 counts), Criminal Mischief, 4th Degree (3 counts) and Burglary, 2nd Degree in connection with the burglaries committed in Branchburg Township, Berkeley Heights, and Stafford Township.
Defendant Esser was lodged in the Somerset County Jail with bail set by the Honorable Ann Bartlett, J.S.C., set bail in the amount of $100,000.00 cash only.