Two (2) Union County men were arrested for residential burglary in Roselle Park in connection to a house burglary that occurred on Friday, April 27th. According to police reports, police responding to the burglary on the 800 block of Prospect Street discovered a New Jersey driver’s license underneath a deck. The license was located near a window that was broken, reportedly used by the suspect to enter the home. The driver’s license belonged to Damon Zengotita, age 36.
Police were able to track down Mr. Zengotita at his mother’s house in Hillside late Friday night where property stolen from the house in the burglary was recovered. Zengotita cooperated with Detective Hussam Assad and led police to a storm sewer in Irvington, NJ where he discarded the victim’s birth certificates, passports, and other important documents.
Detectives, assisted at the scene by the Essex County Sheriff’s Department and maintenance crews from the Garden State Parkway, recovered a trash bag containing the victim’s property. Zengotita was later charged with Burglary in the 3rd degree, Theft in the 3rd degree, and Criminal Mischief – a 4th degree offense.
Over the next few days, police searched eastern Union County trying to locate a second suspect, Adel Oudeh, a 42-year-old resident of Union Township. Oudeh had former addresses in Elizabeth and Hillside. Late Wednesday afternoon, Hillside Police located Oudeh walking near Rt. 22, where he agreed to accompany them to the Hillside Police Department.
Roselle Park Police Detectives responded to Hillside Police Department, where they spoke to Oudeh who soon confessed to his involvement in the burglary to Detective Assad. Oudeh was transported to RPPD where he was processed and charged with Burglary, Theft, and Criminal Mischief. Judge Gary Bundy of the Roselle Park Municipal Court set bail at $50,000. Oudeh was transferred later to the Union County Jail.
Detectives from Roselle Park and Hillside are continuing to investigate Oudeh and Zengotita to determine if they are responsible for any of the other burglaries that have occurred in the area over the last few months.