Police: N.Y. Men Caught Burglarizing Sprint Store

Two New York men were caught early Friday morning after leading authorities on a foot chase when they were allegedly caught stealing items from a Route 23 cell phone store in Butler, police said Monday.

Josie Pena, 23, of Corona, N.Y., and Christopher Lide, 28, of Queens, N.Y., were charged with burglary, obstructing administration of the law, receiving stolen property, criminal mischief, resisting arrest, criminal trespassing and tampering with evidence.

Five police departments and the Morris County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report by a passing mororist on Route 23 North of an alleged burglary in progress at the Sprint cellular telephone store Friday at 5:54 a.m., Butler police said. Butler Police Ptl. Jorge Reyes and Sgt. Keith Soules arrived on the scene and witnessed two males allegedly placing a large quantity of merchandise in cloth bags. Police said once the males saw the police officers, they fled the scene on foot into a nearby wooded area.

The officers chased the males, who were eventually apprehended by Sgt. Christopher Carbone and Ptl. Melissa Huizenga. After they were apprehended, police said they were turned over to Butler authorities.

Police said further investigation revealed that they had allegedly burglarized several businesses in Wayne earlier that day, and a search of their vehicle revealed a large amount of stolen merchandise from the businesses.

Neither Pena or Lide were able to post bail, which was set at $75,000 each with no 10 percent option by Butler police and $50,000 each with no 10 percent option by Wayne police. Lide was transported to the Morris County Correctional Facility and Pena was transported to the Ancora Psychiatric Facility, both with tickets to appear in court at a later date.