Tommy Earls is accused of stealing a total of $1 million in items from affluent homes, including a $5,000 bottle of high-end scotch.
Tommy Earls, 55, of Neptune, remains jailed at the Monmouth County Correctional Institute on $600,000 bail. (File photo).OCEAN TOWNSHIP -- A "career burglar" from Neptune who is accused of committing a string of residential burglaries in affluent neighborhoods was given additional charges Wednesday in connection with nearly a dozen more burglaries.
Tommy Earls, 55, remains incarcerated at the Monmouth County jail in lieu of $600,000 bail. Police say Earls burglarized homes in Holmdel, Shrewsbury, Eatontown, Little Silver, Manalapan and Ocean Township. He's accused of stealing a total of $1 million in items, including a $5,000 bottle of high-end scotch.
Earls, who has served jail time for a number of burglaries dating back to 1991, was arrested Dec. 17 after a seven-month multi-agency investigation. Holmdel police Lt. Keith Cannata labeled Earls as a "career burglar" in announcing his arrest.
Ocean Township Detective Lt. Timothy R. Torchia said Wednesday that Earls struck 10 homes and one commercial building in the township since 2013.
On Dec. 5, police identified Earls as a suspect after he committed a residential burglary in Little Silver, police said. The tactics used in that incident matched a pattern of residential burglaries in neighboring towns over the summer, including Ocean Township.
Little Silver police were able to obtain a warrant to search Earls' home, a storage unit and a vehicle. He was arrested and charged with burglary, theft, receiving stolen property, criminal mischief, shoplifting and unlawful taking means of conveyance, police said.
His bail was originally set at $500,000, but was upped to $600,000.
Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
