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Newark Man Charged Under New Home Invasion Burglary Law
Defendant was accused of leading a high-end auto theft and break-in ring spanning multiple New Jersey counties and New York.
Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) announced charges today against 19-year-old Newark resident Samir White in connection with a months-long investigation into a string of residential burglaries and auto thefts in New Jersey and New York. White is the first person to be prosecuted by DCJ under the new “home invasion burglary” classification created in October 2024, which carries enhanced penalties.
According to law enforcement authorities, White faces a range of charges, including first-degree home invasion burglary, four counts of second-degree residential burglary, second-degree theft of motor vehicles, second-degree receiving a stolen vehicle, second-degree conspiracy to receive a stolen vehicle, and fourth-degree resisting arrest by flight.
Home Invasion Burglary: A New Classification
The “home invasion burglary” offense went into effect in October 2024, escalating the severity of criminal penalties for forced entry into occupied residences. While records from the Criminal Justice Data Dashboard show that 17 people had been charged statewide with home invasion burglary by the end of December 2024, White is the first to be prosecuted by DCJ directly under this new law.
“Car thieves know they need to have the electronic key fob to a stolen car for it to be worth anything, and they have become more brazen about how they go about getting it,” DCJ Director Theresa Hilton said. “Illegally entering homes in search of key fobs adds another layer of danger and the potential for violence. We are tirelessly working with our law enforcement partners to eliminate the kind of behavior described in this complaint.”
Alleged Criminal Enterprise
From November 18, 2024, through January 16, 2025, investigators say White and other co-conspirators participated in a ring that targeted high-end vehicles across Monmouth, Ocean, and Essex counties, as well as areas of New York State. The group purportedly used stolen vehicles to travel to the scenes of the break-ins, forcing entry with tools such as crowbars, removing expensive items and key fobs, and then stealing the homeowners’ luxury cars. The stolen vehicles have an estimated collective value of $700,000.
Examples of Targeted Vehicles and Residences:
- November 18, 2024: Theft of a 2023 BMW X7 valued at under $75,000 in Lakewood, Ocean County.
- December 9, 2024: Theft of a BMW X3 valued at under $75,000 in Sea Girt, Monmouth County.
- December 11, 2024: Break-in at a residence on River Road in Wall Township, Monmouth County, resulting in the theft of a loaded firearm (Sig Sauer P365XL), $10,000 worth of jewelry, purses, a key fob, and a 2020 Porsche 911 valued at more than $75,000.
- December 13, 2024: Allegedly used the previously stolen BMW X3 (from December 9) to travel to Bay Head in Ocean County, where a 2020 Mercedes Benz G-Wagon was taken. That vehicle was later recovered in the Bronx, New York.
- December 22, 2024: Multiple break-ins in Sea Girt, including residences on Crescent Parkway (where designer clothes and sunglasses, as well as a 2025 Range Rover valued at over $75,000, were stolen) and Washington Boulevard (where a 2020 BMW X3 was taken).
- December 22, 2024: Forced entry into a Midland Avenue home in East Orange, removing a key fob and keys to a 2024 Audi RSQ8.
Authorities say White was apprehended on January 16, 2025, following surveillance by the New Jersey State Police Motor Vehicle Crimes North Unit. Troopers identified a 2024 BMW X7 stolen from Freehold Borough; when it stopped in Newark, the occupants, including White, allegedly fled. Police located White hiding in a backyard and took him into custody. The Honorable Jill O’Malley, P.J.S.C., granted DCJ’s motion to detain White pending trial.
Penalties & Investigation
- First-Degree Offenses: 10 to 20 years in state prison and up to a $200,000 fine.
- Second-Degree Offenses: 5 to 10 years in prison and up to a $150,000 fine.
- Fourth-Degree Offenses: Up to 18 months in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.
The investigation into White’s alleged co-conspirators continues. No further details are being released at this time. The prosecution is led by DCJ Deputy Attorneys General Matthew Bernal and Jaclyn Dowd, under the supervision of Deputy Chief Joseph Giordano and Chief Cassandra Montalto of the Major Thefts Bureau.
Attorney General Platkin commended the New Jersey State Police, along with the Wall, Sea Girt, and Bay Head police departments, and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office for their investigative efforts. The charges detailed herein are accusations only; White is presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in a court of law.
