Man Takes Flat Screen TV, Gas Dryer, Police Say

This post was reported and written by Jack Tobias.

An observant neighbor in Forks Township led police to a New Jersey man who was supposed to provide maintenance to a home but ended up stealing a flat-screen television and a gas dryer, court records say.

Thomas Patrick Degnan, 42, of the Morris County community of Wharton, admitted to stealing the items – with a total value of more than $1,350 – to sell for scrap, the records say.

Degnan was a subcontractor of a company that was maintaining the Forks home on Crown Drive at the time of the thefts.

According to the records, Degnan stole the 27-inch RCA flat-screen television, valued at $600, on April 2. He stole the Kenmore Gas Dryer, valued at $766.35, on May 9, the records say.

A criminal complaint filed by township Officer Michael C. Friel says the owner of the stolen items filed a theft complaint for the television on May 3 and a complaint for the gas dryer about a week later.

Friel interviewed a neighbor who said he saw a man load a flat-screen television into a Dodge Caravan. He said the same man returned “at a later date” and placed a dryer into a silver and blue Chevrolet pickup.

The neighbor provided Friel with the license plate numbers for both vehicles, the complaint said. A check of N.J. Department of Transportation records showed both vehicles were registered to Degnan and a woman with the same last name.

Degnan admitted to stealing the items during a May 21 interview with Friel.

Degnan was charged with two counts of theft by unlawful taking or disposition. He was arraigned by District Judge Jackie Taschner of Palmer Township and released on $25,000 unsecured bail.