LAKEWOOD − Township detectives recovered nearly $450,000 in cash stolen during a burglary from a local business by a man who once worked there, police said.
Charged with burglary and two counts of theft was William Ordenana-Arauz, 48, of Lakewood.
About noon on Sunday, July 26, officers were called to an unidentified Ocean Avenue business on the report of a burglary. The owner told police that about $100,000 was stolen. An audit conducted during the investigation showed that the business actually lost $300,000 to a thief.
Detectives quickly identified Ordenana-Arauz as a suspect after finding that he once worked for the business, police said.
The detectives discovered that Ordenana-Arauz traveled to a storage facility in Freehold at some point after he left the business.
Armed with search warrants for the suspect's vehicle and storage locker, they found just under $450,000 in cash and a digital video recorder believed to have been stolen during the burglary, police said.
The investigation is continuing.
Ordenana-Arauz was arrested Monday. Court records do not show attorney information for him.
Information about where he is being held was unavailable.
Police are urging anyone with information about the crimes to call Lakewood Detective Matthew Richardson at 732-363-0200 Ext. 5342.
Reporter Ken Serrano can be reached at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Lakewood detectives recover nearly $450K stolen from business