Cops: Man Burglarized Home, Then Came Back to Steal Car

Christian Hernandez-Ruiz (Photo: Ocean County Jail)

A Lakewood man has been arrested for burglarizing a home, during which he stole a set of car keys, then coming back to steal the car.

Lakewood police attempted to stop a Cadillac DTS for a motor vehicle violation July 3. The driver, later identified as Christian Hernandez-Ruiz, 42, of Lakewood, fled from police “at a high rate of speed” causing the pursuit to be called off, said Al Della Fave, spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.

When out of sight of police, Hernandez-Ruiz apparently lost control of the car and crashed into a tree in the area of New Hampshire Ave and Oak St, Della Fave said.

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The prosecutor’s office conducted an investigation, which revealed the registered owner of the vehicle was the victim of a residential burglary and the keys to the Cadillac DTS were taken by Hernandez-Ruiz. A short time later, Hernandez-Ruiz allegedly came back to the residence and took the vehicle, without the owner’s knowledge or permission.

Bail for Hernandez-Ruiz was set at $50,000 cash by Superior Court Judge Melanie Donohue Appleby.

On Monday, OCPO Detectives Brad Frank and Anthony Paciulli went to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune, and arrested Hernandez-Ruiz as he was being released from the hospital. He was lodged in Ocean County Jail in lieu of the $50,000 bail.