Off-duty Brick, NJ Police Officer spots men responsible for recent car burglaries

An off-duty Brick Township Police Officer's quick thinking and reaction helped lead tot he arrest of a man who had been suspected of multiple car burglaries of late.

Officer Kevin Ryan was heading out of LA Fitness in the Brick Plaza around 2:00 pm Thursday afternoon and was greeted by a vehicle alarm going off drawing his attention to the sound.

As he turned in that direction, he spotted a tan Chevy pickup whose alarm was going off while a green/gray minivan was parked next to it.

This vehicle description was in the police system as a van that was at the site of several car burglaries across New Jersey in recent weeks as the perp inside was trying to take advantage of the fact people were inside gyms working out or in stores shopping.

Officer Ryan called it in then Officer John Canterelli responded and at that point the suspects hopped in their vehicle and sped through the parking lot with no regard for pedestrian life.

Officer Canterelli followed the vehicle out of the parking lot and down Aurora Place and Bryn Mawr Drive before the pursuit caused a safety concern but because a call went out alerting other police in the area what was going on, those patrol cars helped pick up the chase from a distance, at first.

The suspects eventually turned from North Lake Shore Drive back onto Brick Boulevard going south against traffic at high rates of speed -- even at one point going east on the westbound part of Route 70 forcing several cars going in the right direction off the road.

Police continued to monitor the speeding vehicle as it ran a red light between Burnt Tavern Road and Maple Avenue and it only stopped after it crashed into a black Audi with two people inside the vehicle which overturned as a result.

The suspects, without a vehicle, took off on foot.

The driver, Andrew Williams, 42, of Brooklyn then tried to carjack someone but couldn't get her out of her vehicle because she was wearing a seatbelt.

Williams then trend to steal an unmarked police vehicle but before he could even do anything, he was pulled out by two police lieutenants.

Meanwhile, Louis Candelario, 49, of Brooklyn fled on foot along Burnt Tavern Road before police caught up with him and placed him in handcuffs.

Williams is charged with Carjacking, Burglary, Theft, Criminal Mischief, Aggravated Assault, Attempt to Elude in a Motor Vehicle, Obstructing Justice, Resisting Arrest, and dozens of motor vehicle violations.

Candelario is charged with Burglary, Theft, Criminal Mischief and Obstructing Justice.

Both suspects are now in the Ocean County Jail with more charges pending against both men.