A Trenton man and a 15-year-old boy were arrested early following a foot pursuit and the discovery of a “ghost gun” equipped with a high-capacity magazine, according to the Howell Township Police Department.
Antonio C. Thompson II, 22, of Trenton, is currently being held at the Monmouth County jail. He faces multiple charges, including several counts of burglary, weapons offenses, obstruction, and resisting arrest. The unidentified 15-year-old juvenile was also charged with several counts of burglary and weapons offenses and is being held at the Middlesex County Youth Detention Facility.
The incident began around 3 a.m. Friday when Patrolmen Dan Davison and Ryan Goodspeed responded to reports of a vehicle burglary in progress near Lorelei and Virginia drives.
Upon arrival, Officer Davison reportedly observed Thompson breaking into a vehicle. According to police, Thompson fled on foot, leading officers on a chase through several residential backyards and over fences. Officers Davison and Goodspeed successfully apprehended Thompson a short time later.
Following the arrest, a larger police contingent—including Lt. Christian Antunez, Sgt. Ed Homiek, and several patrol officers—arrived to investigate the surrounding area. Security footage from the neighborhood revealed that a second individual was involved in the burglaries.
While a K-9 unit tracked the second suspect, Officer Michael Maccia located a vehicle belonging to Thompson. Inside the vehicle, Maccia reportedly observed and retrieved a handgun on the floorboard. Police described the weapon as a “ghost gun”—a firearm without a serial number—fitted with a 50-round drum magazine.
The vehicle was towed from the scene, and authorities are currently seeking a search warrant to identify and recover items believed to have been stolen during the spree.
During the perimeter search, Officer Jerry Perez located the 15-year-old suspect. Authorities confirmed his involvement through local surveillance video before taking him into custody.
Howell police indicated that the investigation remains active as they process the recovered evidence and finalize the list of items stolen from the targeted vehicles.