Crime & Safety

West Deptford Police Snare Burglar Believed Responsible for Serial Break-Ins

William M. Benner and his alleged accomplice, Jesse C. Cheesman, were arrested in the last several days.

West Deptford police believe they’ve captured the men responsible for a series of home burglaries in the Harker Village and Oakview sections of the township going back to early December, Chief Craig Mangano said Friday.

William M. Benner Jr., 25, who lives in the Red Bank Run apartments in West Deptford, was nabbed overnight on March 31, and his alleged accomplice, Jesse C. Cheesman was arrested Wednesday, and both now face charges of burglary, theft and conspiracy.

Benner was caught after a resident on Ford Avenue–just a few blocks from Red Bank Run–spotted him breaking into one of her neighbor’s cars just before 2 a.m. She called police, and her boyfriend went out to talk to Benner in an attempt to keep him at the scene.

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Shortly after she called police, a trio of officers–Cpl. John Chambers, Ptl. Jeff Pallies and Special Officer Josh Kerr–arrived on foot and arrested Benner without incident. Through their investigation at the scene, the officers determined Benner had been busy that night.

He allegedly broke into a home on May Avenue and stole a laptop, which police recovered in the woods nearby. Benner didn’t stop there, though–police said he allegedly attempted to break into one home on Ford Avenue, but was foiled after cutting through a window screen, broke into a different home on Ford Avenue and may have stolen unknown items, and broke into a total of three cars on Ford Avenue, stealing cash from two of them, which police found on Benner when they arrested him.

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After further investigation, Benner was also charged with a home burglary on Barlow Avenue on Dec. 23 of last year.

Then, this Wednesday, West Deptford police arrested Jesse C. Cheesman, who was allegedly Benner’s accomplice in at least the Dec. 23 burglary on Barlow Avenue. A witness to that burglary said two men ran from a home.

Benner, who had been indicted last spring for receiving stolen property in Paulsboro, now faces seven counts of burglary, five counts of theft and a single count of conspiracy, and was lodged in the county jail on default of $52,500 full cash bail.

Cheesman faces single counts of burglary, theft and conspiracy, and was jailed on default of $15,000 full cash bail.

Mangano said police are still working to link the pair to other burglaries in the area in early December of last year and late February of this year, but are waiting on evidence that’s still being processed.

“These are the primary suspects in all the other burglaries,” Mangano said.

The chief credited the decision of the residents on Ford Avenue to call police when they saw Benner breaking into their neighbor’s car, and the quick response of the officers at the scene in helping to snare Benner. He also gave credit to Inv. Michael Pfeiffer and Inv. Richard Henry, who worked to connect Benner to the other burglaries.

“You hate to go to sleep, thinking you could be awoken by a burglar in your home,” Mangano said. “Everyone will feel a little better now.”


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