Lanoka man suspected of Lacey, Berkeley, Toms River, Lakewood burglaries

A Lacey Township man, out on bail while awaiting hearings for house burglaries in Berkeley Township, is arrested near the site of another in Toms River, and is linked by police to a half-dozen lootings in Lacey, Toms River and Lakewood.

Michael Dautorio, 30, of Drew Avenue, faces charges connected to thefts in Lanoka, on streets including Sinclair and Barramore Avenues and Chestnut Drive, that were reported February 5, said township police.

After investigating each instance and reviewing video surveillance images, Lacey detectives staked out Dautorio's Drew Avenue house on February 9.

Dautorio drove to Toms River, trailed by police, where they said that they spotted him running from a house, clad in a ski mask and latex gloves. He was intercepted by Lacey PD Detectives Keith Pearce, Brian Flynn and Kymberly Gudgeon.

Police said that Dautorio had cash later identified as belonging to the home owner, and a shoulder bag containing tools, flashlights and gloves.

Dautorio was arrested by Toms River police and held on a no-bail warrant in the Ocean County Jail. Meanwhile, Lacey investigators obtained a search warrant for his house, and reported finding items traced to several Lanoka Harbor ransackings, plus burglaries in Toms River and Lakewood.

Investigations continue by Toms River and Berkeley Township police detectives and the Ocean County Sheriff's Office.