Montclair Pair Linked to Commercial Burglary Spree, Police Say

Two township men were arrested Tuesday night in connection with 14 burglaries and eight attempted burglaries in the Upper Montclair and Watchung business districts over the weekend, police said.

Ethan Binness, 20, and Dylan Debolle, 21, are facing charges and are both in custody and being held on bail, police said.

Police Detective Lt. Angel Roman said early in the investigation, officers had very little information to work with: only a description of one burglar and that of a silver SUV.

According to a department statement, officers were conducting store checks near Watchung Plaza area Tuesday night.  Shortly before midnight, they went to the Valley Road Williams-Sonoma store after hearing of an activated burglar alarm.

The reports said the officers saw someone leaving the area quickly. After a search at the store, nothing was found to be awry and the police resumed their foot patrol. While checking the doors of Café Clair, they a man standing near a Dumpster who fit the description from the weekend burglaries.

Roman said the man, who had a black bag with a long metallic object sticking out, told police he was waiting for a friend. Police then noticed one of Café Clair's window panes had been pried off and arrested the man with the bag, who turned out to be Binness. He was charged with burglary and possession of burglary tools.  

At the scene, authorities collected a pair of black gloves, two screw drivers with broken tips, a hammer, a ski mask and the black bag, which contained a pair of glasses, a blue watch cap, $2 in rolled nickels, two coin rolls amounting to $1 in pennies, two smaller screwdrivers and a wood chisel, police said. 

Police then located the sport utility vehicle matching the description from over the weekend. A silver 2008 Toyota Highlander was found parked in the lot of Montclair Motors. Officers noticed someone trying to conceal himself within the SUV.

The man, identified as Debolle, told police he was waiting for his friend.  He was then taken into custody and charged with conspiracy to commit burglary.  

After investigating, Montclair detectives determined that Binness and Debolle were responsible for the weekend incidents. According to the police statement, the men had tried unsuccessfully to break into the Tuscany Restaurant and Balonze's Barber Shop before their efforts were again foiled by the security alarm at Williams-Sonoma.

Roman said Binness is being held on a $40,000 bail with no cash alternative. Debolle is being held on $10,000 with a 10 percent option.