Pursuit Leads to Two Arrests for Burglary

Police arrested two individuals Monday afternoon after a brief foot-pursuit and search in the area of Ramapo Way and Terrill Middle School. The men, one of whom is a minor, face multiple charges, including burglary of a house in the 1600-block of Ramapo Way.

At about 3:30 p.m., a resident of Ramapo Way told police that a man had knocked on the back door of her house, asking to use her phone to call a taxicab, Detective Lt. Brian Donnelly said in a telephone interview. Two officers responded to the residence and spotted two men walking on the street, one of whom matched the resident's description.

As the officers stepped from their vehicles, Donnelly said, the two suspects fled. One was apprehended quickly. The other ran toward Terrill Middle School, crossing beneath the power-lines that parallel Terrill Road and Martine Avenue. He was apprehended on Terill Road near the middle school at about 4 p.m., Donnelly said.

Police held the suspects, one of whom is a minor, on resisting arrest charges, and investigated whether other houses in the area had been burglarized. That evening, Donnelly said, police learned that a house in the 1600-block of Ramapo Way had been forcibly entered and that items had been stolen. Some of those items were in the possession of one of the suspects, Donnelly said.

Police charged Terrence Dillard, 39, of Plainfield, with burglary, theft, resisting arrest and criminal mischief. He was unable to post bail, set at $120,000, and he was transported to Union County Jail. The minor, a 17-year-old resident of Plainfield, faces the same charges. He was transported to a Union County detention facility.