Police bust NJ skateboarder for string of West Milford car burglaries since fall

WEST MILFORD — Police have busted a skateboarder for a string of auto break-ins and thefts, West Milford Police Chief James DeVore announced.

Tyler J. Nowinski, of the Hewitt area, was arrested on Friday.

A local resident had reported a “suspicious male carrying a skateboard” who entered a driveway along Lakeshore Drive and tried to open the driver’s door of a parked vehicle, DeVore said.

Officers found Nowinski, who matched the description given by the caller, a short distance away.

Online voter records list Nowinski’s age as 22, while the Daily Voice reported his age as 21.

Between Nov. 26 and Friday, West Milford had seen a series of vehicle burglaries, including items stolen from those cars. The incidents had targeted car owners in the Upper Greenwood Lake and Hewitt sections of town.

Nowinski has so far been connected to several of those incidents and was charged with five counts of burglary, three counts of attempted burglary, two counts of theft and one count each of unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of prescription drugs and criminal mischief.

He was processed and released, pending a court appearance.

The investigation was still ongoing on Wednesday.

Erin Vogt is a reporter and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach her at erin.vogt@townsquaremedia.com

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