Three arrested in Absecon home invasion

By STEVE PRISAMENT
Staff Writer
ABSECON – Police responding to a call of a woman screaming arrested two men and a youth here Thursday, April 10 and charged them in connection with a home invasion shortly after 11 p.m. at the Oyster Bay Condominium on California Avenue.
Brandon Degree, 20, of Absecon; Mark Louis, 18, of Pleasantville; and a 17-year-old from Pleasantville were charged with burglary, conspiracy and criminal mischief, according to police.
“They kicked open the front door,” said Police Chief Charles Smith. “She heard that and came out of her bedroom upstairs and turned on the light. One of them was coming up the stairs. When she turned on the light and screamed, he turned and ran; they all ran out the front door.”
The invaders fled on foot, heading toward Pleasantville, police said.
“Absecon officers along with the assistance of Pleasantville officers located three subjects matching the description given out by a witness,” Smith said. “All three suspects were taken into custody and returned to the crime scene, where they were positively identified.”
A Pleasantville officer and his K-9 partner were integral parts of the search team, Smith said.
“The dog ran a track to Falcon Drive,” he said. “They were picked up at 11:30 p.m. about a quarter mile from the apartments.”
The adults are being held in Atlantic County jail on $50,000 cash bail. The juvenile is in the Harborfields youth detention facility in Egg Harbor City.
The arresting officer was Sgt. Robert Henchy, assisted by Patrolmen Robert Ketschek, James Laughlin, Daniel Gleason and Micah O’Hara; Detective Kevin Craig; and Pleasantville K-9 Sgt. Daniel Harper, and Officers Matthew Hartman and Mark Gorman.