October 7, 2021
HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, NJ (MERCER)–On October 7, 2021 at approximately 8:15 AM, Officers were dispatched to Bishop Auto Sales on the 2000 block of South Clinton Avenue on a report of a male stealing catalytic converters. The suspect was seen on security cameras in the lot of the business attempting to steal a catalytic converter from underneath one of the vehicles parked in the lot. Upon arrival Officer L. Mutek observed a male fitting the description of the suspect fleeing the area on foot. The Officer briefly lost sight of the male before finding him hiding behind a garbage bucket on South Clinton Avenue. He was placed under arrest and identified as Jose Collazo, 24, of Trenton. A sawzall was located next to the garbage bucket where Collazo was located. Further investigation by Detective C. Pullen found that Collazo had stolen catalytic converters from Bishop Auto Sales on October 6, 2021 and catalytic converters from GCM Auto, located on the 1700 block of Chambers Street, over the past month. Collazo was charged with Theft (12 counts), Criminal Attempt Theft (2 counts), Possession of Burglar’s Tools (2 counts), and Obstruction by Flight.
Anyone with any information regarding this incident is asked to contact Detective Chris Pullen of the Hamilton Police Division’s Criminal Investigations Section at 609-581-4080 or the Hamilton Police Crime Tip Hotline at 609-581-4008.
Despite having been charged, every defendant is presumed innocent until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Jose Collazo