Borough, Township Police Helped Investigate Stolen Electronics Operation in Dover

UPDATE: 4:56 p.m. DOVER — Chatham Township and borough police helped investigate an organized retail theft operation run out of a video store that resulted in an arrest Tuesday.

Manuel Flores, 64, who owns Dover Video on 15 Bassett Highway, was charged with being the leader of an organized retail theft enterprise. The Morris County Prosecutor's Office reported the arrest in a news release.

The prosecutor's office said goods taken during home burglaries or retail thefts were taken to Dover Video, where they were sold. The office said Dover Video became known as a place where stolen goods could be sold.

Borough and township police assisted in the investigation.

Some of the stolen goods sold from Dover Video were taken from stores such as Wal-Mart, Best Buy and ShopRite, but township Police Lt. George Petersen said today none of the items were taken from township stores.

The police department's role in the matter, he said, was merely to provide assistance.

"Because of the size of the operation, they needed assistance, and so we loaned detectives to work with them as needed," Petersen said. "It was on and off."

Capt. Jeffrey S. Paul, primary spokesperson for Morris County Prosecutor Robert A. Bianchi, said the arrest wouldn't have been possible if various police departments had not worked together.

"The Prosecutor's Office emphasized that the effort was supported by numerous municipal police departments," Paul said. "Everyone came together with a common purpose. We've had an inordinate number of burglaries throughout the county lately, and everyone worked together in a coordinated effort to shut down this operation. Though the operation was located in Dover, this arrest influences many municipalities in the county."

Flores was also charged with two counts of receiving stolen property, one count of fencing, one count of conspiracy to commit theft, one count of conspiracy to receive stolen property, seven counts of conspiracy to commit fencing, six counts of attempt to commit theft and five counts of attempt to commit to receiving stolen property.

This operation represents the largest dismantling of an alleged fencing operation in the history of Morris County, according to the prosecutor's office.