MOUNT HOLLY, N.J. – A man has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for a series of burglaries targeting high-end neighborhoods in New Jersey that netted more than $2 million in goods.
Burlington County prosecutors say the sentence imposed Monday covers a combination of burglary and theft charges that Darius Gittens pleaded guilty to in January and was found guilty of at trial in December 2015.
Authorities say the 57-year-old Medford resident and another man sought out homes in secluded wooded areas. They waited until the homes were vacant and cut phone and alarm wires. They then stole items, including jewelry, purses, and guns.
A flashlight with Gittens' DNA led authorities to thousands of calls and texts between the men.
Authorities recovered more than 500 items either buried in Gittens' yard or hidden in an abandoned building in Philadelphia.
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