Man Charged With 31 Burglary Counts In The Caldwells: Police

WEST CALDWELL, NJ — The West Caldwell police told residents on Friday that a Newark man had been charged with 31 counts of theft in relation to burglaries in the area going back to August.

Detective Brett Keepers investigated over a period of months, police said, and linked Ramir Gibsonwade to a total of 34 motor vehicle burglaries in the Caldwells in August and three more in November, police said.

Gibsonwade was charged last month, police said, then taken to jail.

"As a reminder, please remember to lock your vehicles and take the key fob inside of your home," said police on Friday.

West Caldwell police gave this timeline of events:

On Aug. 29, 2022, officers were dispatched to streets in the "Gardens" off Bloomfield Avenue in West Caldwell on reports of multiple motor vehicle burglaries that occurred during the early morning hours.

Det. Paul Mazzeo and Det./Sgt. Ruesch later responded to process the scene. Through the investigation, Ramir Gibsonwade, 20, from Newark, was identified as a suspect, police said.

Detective Keepers was later assigned the case and conducted a followup investigation.

On Nov. 5, Sgt. Cooper, Corporal Kazoun, and Patrolman Zimmer investigated reports of two males who were asking passing motorists for a ride on Central Avenue near Washington Avenue, police said. Officers stopped to speak with the two people and they ran, police said.

One was identified as a juvenile from Newark. A short time later, Fairfield police found a "suspicious" male wearing dark clothing on Fairfield Avenue. The male, identified as Gibsonwade, was found to be in possession of proceeds from several reported burglaries in Verona and West Caldwell, West Caldwell police said.

Over the next several months, Keepers investigated and "was able to establish probable cause to link Ramir Gibsonwade to a total of 34 vehicle burglaries on August 29, 2022, and three motor vehicle burglaries on November 5, 2022," police said.

Gibsonwade was charged on Jan. 13 a complaint warrant with 31 counts of burglary, three counts of criminal attempt, and four counts of theft of moveable property, related to the incidents on Aug. 29, they said. He was also charged with two more counts of burglary and one count of criminal attempt from incidents on Nov. 5, police said.

He was later apprehended and taken to the Essex County Jail, police said.

Police posted this on Friday:

"Thanks for keeping our town safe," one resident wrote.