Alleged Thieves Sold Items to Gold Mine, Cops Say

Two alleged thieves attempted to sell stolen or false goods at Hackettstown jewelery shop The Gold Mine this month, Hackettstown police Sgt. Darren Tynan said.

On Tuesday, 38-year-old Michael Delarosa was charged with theft by deception after he allegedly stole a person's cell phone from the Laundry Basket on May 13 and sold it to The Gold Mine. Tynan said a warrant was issued for Delarosa and he ultimately turned himself in around 7 p.m., posting $1,500 bail. He is scheduled to appear in court at a later date.

Earlier this month on May 23, The Gold Mine called police to report a suspicious jewelry sale. Oren Goodwin, 52, of Richmond Hills, NY, brought jewelry into the store and insisted it was real gold, Tynan said.

A store associate paid Goodwin $1,650 for the jewelry, but a jeweler tested the pieces and later found that the jewelry was not real gold, Tynan said.

Goodwin was charged with theft by deception and sent to the Warren County Correctional Facility in lieu of $7,500 bail.

For questions on this report, email ariana.cohn-sheehan@patch.com.