Police arrest three teens in December school theft

BY VINCENT TODARO
Staff Writer

EAST BRUNSWICK — Three local teenagers were charged last week with breaking into the Memorial Elementary School in December and stealing more than $2,000 worth of equipment.

Police arrested Richard Maurath, 19, Steven Grabowski, 18, and Christian Cossabaum, 18, all East Brunswick residents, on charges of burglary and theft.

The theft took place Dec. 15, according to police, who were alerted by ADT Alarm Co. at 11:26 p.m. that night. Police believe the suspects used a tire iron to break a classroom window and gain entry to the school, located on Innes Road.

Stolen from the school were two Dell computer towers, a Dell computer monitor, a violin and case, and a Sony digital camcorder.

Last week, East Brunswick Detective Joe Alves, who had been investigating, received an anonymous tip naming several township teenagers as possibly being involved, police said. Alves then interviewed the three suspects, leading to their arrests. Police said Grabowski advised them as to where the remaining stolen property was located in his home and allowed police to recover the items, which included the violin case, Dell monitor, and the camcorder.

Police believe the suspects had previously smashed the violin, and broke down the Dell towers to sell the parts.

East Brunswick Police Lt. William Krause said police were uncertain if the three had intended to sell the remaining equipment.

All three were released pending court dates.

The three arrests took place the same week that a safe containing $1,400 was stolen from the cafeteria at East Brunswick High School. Police are investigating that overnight break-in, which took place Thursday night or Friday morning, but authorities do not believe the two cases are related.