HANOVER TOWNSHIP — On Sunday, January 4, 2026, a collaborative effort by multiple law enforcement agencies led to the arrest of three New York men in connection with a burglary at the Casa De Montecristo Cigar Lounge located at 310 Route 10.
At approximately 11:35 p.m., Hanover Township Police were alerted to an activated burglar alarm at the cigar lounge. Responding Hanover Township Police Officer Stephen Manney observed a white utility van fleeing the scene at a high rate of speed. He pursued the vehicle eastbound on Route 10, noting registration violations and initiating a traffic stop. The driver failed to yield, prompting a pursuit through local neighborhoods near Troy Hills Road.
The vehicle ultimately came to a stop on a residential street, where the three occupants fled on foot. One suspect was quickly apprehended in the area of David Drive. With two suspects still at large, Hanover Township Police called for mutual aid.
Police from Parsippany, East Hanover, Morris Township, Morristown, and the Morris County Sheriff’s Office responded, assisting with the pursuit and on-scene investigation. Their swift action led to the apprehension of all three suspects and the recovery of stolen merchandise from the burglary.
Arrested were Joseph Rinaldi, 31, and Christopher Sollena, 36, both of Staten Island, and Luis Morales, 47, of Brooklyn. The suspects face several charges, including third-degree burglary, second-degree theft, and were lodged at the Morris County Correctional Facility pending a detention hearing.
Rinaldi, identified as the driver, faces additional charges of eluding police, a second-degree crime, along with numerous traffic violations related to the pursuit.
