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NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE
OFFICIAL NEWS RELEASE


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Office of Public Affairs (609) 882-2000
Capt. Stephen Jones - ext. 6513
Lt. Brian Polite - ext. 6514
SFC Gregory Williams - ext. 6515
Tpr. I Jeff Flynn - ext. 6516
Tpr. Alina Spies - ext. 6531

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 21, 2014

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Social Media Helps State Police Detectives
Nab Gun and Scrap Metal Thieves

Pilesgrove Township, N.J. – On August 15, the New Jersey State Police reached out to the public on Facebook and Twitter, asking for assistance with identifying suspects caught on camera committing a theft.  Within hours the tips and comments came pouring in.  Several days later, three people were arrested and charged and two separate cases were solved.

Troopers from Woodstown Station arrested Joshua Figarola, 24, and Theodore Figarola, 52, both of Williamstown, N.J., and Robert Mayers, 27, of Mullica Hill, N.J., after receiving a flood of tips from social media users who saw the images of the suspects stealing scrap metal.

On August 7, Tpr. Michael Legatie began an investigation of a theft of scrap metal from a residence located on Whig Lane in Pilesgrove Township.  A deer camera set up on the property by the victim captured multiple images of suspects committing the crime.

State Police posted two of the captured images to the NJSP Facebook and Twitter accounts requesting the public’s assistance with identifying the suspects.  As a result of the posting, anonymous tips came pouring in as the images were seen by over 100,000 people.

Click for large pictureClick for large picture

Tpr. Legatie and members of Glassboro Police Department were able to identify the suspects based on multiple tips.  Troopers arrested Joshua and Theodore Figarola on August 18 and Robert Mayers on August 20.

As the investigation progressed, Tpr. Legatie and Buena Station Detective George Auge   developed information that both Joshua and Theodore Figarola were responsible for the burglary of a Monroe Township residence that occurred on May 5.  As a result, both Joshua and Theodore Figarola were charged with stealing a handgun and jewelry from that home.

Joshua Figarola

Joshua Figarola

Burglary
Theft
Unlawful possession of a weapon
Certain persons not to possess weapon
Possession of hollow point ammunition
Lodged at Salem County Jail in lieu of $75,000 full cash bail
Theodore Figarola

Theodore Figarola

Burglary
Theft
Unlawful possession of a weapon
Possession of hollow point ammunition
Lodged at Salem County Jail in lieu of $25,000 full cash bail
Robert Mayers

Robert Mayers

Theft
Lodged at Salem County Jail in lieu of $15,000 full cash bail

 

The Facebook post has since been taken down.  The pictures used in the post are attached to this release

Charges are merely accusations and the suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty.

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Follow the New Jersey State Police online at Twitter and Facebook. The social media links provided are for reference only. The New Jersey State Police do not endorse any non-governmental websites, companies or applications.

For additional information visit our website at www.njsp.org.

 

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