Crime

The Rev. Douglas Haefner, center(File photo). The Rev. Douglas Haefner, the former pastor at St. Matthias Church on John F. Kennedy Boulevard, pleaded guilty on May 19 to one count of theft, admitting that he stole more than $500,000 in parish funds. Haefner entered the plea before Superior Court Judge Peter J. Tober, sitting in Somerville. Haefner was released on …

A New Brunswick man suffered a non-threatening gunshot wound while driving his car early in the morning of May 16, according to a press release from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office. The man, who was not identified, was struck while driving in the area of Hamilton Street and Franklin Boulevard at about 3:58 a.m., according to the release.

The number of violent crimes reported in Franklin during 2020 decreased compared to the previous year, but the township saw an increase in the number of reported non-violent crimes. The increase was enough to kick the total number of reported crimes up a bit, from 855 in 2019 to 859 in2020, according to statistics provided by the township police department.

Venus Jewelers in Rutgers Plaza was burglarized on April 26. It’s owners say they plan to reopen. The owners of a township jewelry store burglarized on April 26 have vowed to reopen and make good on any of their customers’ items that were stolen. Venus Jewelers in Rutgers Plaza was burglarized early in the morning of April 26. Neither township …

Police are trying to discover why 27 bullets – one of which hit a moving vehicle – were fired late on April 21 in the area of Baier Avenue and Philips Road. There were no reported injuries in the shooting, according to a press release from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office.

A 40-year-old township resident who served as a club basketball coach was charged March 25 with endangering the welfare of a minor. The charge against the man, who police said was formerly a coach with the Central Jersey Havoc Basketball Club but left to form his own team, is a Second Degree crime, according to a press release from the …

A 43-year-old New Brunswick man has been charged with the murder of a 60-year-old township man in a North Brunswick motel. North Brunswick police responding to an emergency call for an unresponsive man at noon on March 20 at the Farrington Inn found the Somerset man, who showed signs of physical injury, according to a press release from the Middlesex …

A 20-year-old Texas man was hit with multiple charges March 15 after he allegedly tried to break into an automated teller machine with a truck at an Elizabeth Avenue bank. Police said they received a 9-1-1 call about the attempted theft at about 3:11 a.m. The responding officer tried to top the truck, and the people inside fled, according to …

Julian Khater (LinkedIn). A 32-year-old man with township ties was one of two men charged March 14 in connection with the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. Julian Elie Khater of State College, Pa., was arrested as he stepped off a plane at Newark International Airport, according to the FBI.

A 28-year-old New Brunswick man was killed late in the evening on March 12 after a car collision at Route 27 and Franklin Boulevard, police said. Police said that at approximately 11 p.m., Rafelo Peralta was traveling south on Franklin Boulevard when his Toyota Scion collided with a Ford F-150 pickup, driven by Jose Velez-Fernandez, 31, also of New Brunswick. …