DNA Match Leads to Arrests Months After Jewish Home Burglary in Suffern

By Y.M. Lowy

A Jewish home in Suffern became the scene of a burglary over the summer while the family was away on a road trip across the country. When a relative stopped by to check on the house, they quickly realized something was wrong. The door had been forced open, drawers were emptied, and all the family’s jewelry was gone.

Ramapo Police and the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office responded, carefully dusting for fingerprints and collecting evidence. Among what they found was a small trace of blood on the broken door, left behind when one of the burglars forced his way in. At the time, no arrests were made, and the case remained open through the summer months.

Now, months later, that tiny piece of evidence has helped bring justice. A DNA match from the blood linked one of the suspects to the break-in, leading investigators to uncover a larger burglary ring operating across the region.

Authorities say three men from Teaneck were identified as the main suspects behind roughly 30 residential burglaries across Bergen, Morris, and Somerset counties. The investigation, which involved 21 law enforcement agencies over the course of nine months, has now led to their arrests.