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๐Ÿ’ฐ๐Ÿšจ LAKEWOOD POLICE RECOVER NEARLY $450,000 IN CASH FOLLOWING COMMERCIAL BURGLARY ๐Ÿšจ๐Ÿ’ฐ

Thursday, July 30, 2026

๐Ÿ“ LAKEWOOD, NJ โ€” Lakewood Police say an extensive burglary investigation has resulted in the recovery of just under $450,000 in cash and the arrest of a 48-year-old Lakewood man.

๐Ÿš” Officers responded to a business on Ocean Avenue around noon on July 26 after a burglary was reported. The business owner initially reported approximately $100,000 stolen, but a subsequent audit determined that more than $300,000 in cash had actually been taken.

๐Ÿ”Ž Detectives quickly identified William Ordenana-Arauz, 48, as a suspect. Investigators determined he had previously performed work at the business and had traveled to a storage facility in Freehold after leaving the location.

โš–๏ธ Detectives obtained court-authorized search warrants for Ordenana-Arauzโ€™s vehicle and a Freehold storage unit. During the searches, police recovered just under $450,000 in cash, along with the businessโ€™s digital video recorder (DVR), which investigators believe was removed during the burglary.

Ordenana-Arauz was charged with burglary and two counts of theft.

๐Ÿค Lakewood Police credited the Ocean County Sheriffโ€™s Department, Shomrim and area businesses for assisting investigators throughout the case.

๐Ÿ”Ž The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Matthew Richardson at 732-363-0200 ext. 5342.

โš ๏ธ All individuals charged with a crime are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

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