March 22, 2004
NEWS RELEASE

Somerset County Crime Stoppers First Arrest

Somerville, NJ – Somerset County Prosecutor Wayne J. Forrest and Sheriff Frank J. Provenzano, Sr. have announced the arrest of fugitive Erich William Kussman, Saturday evening, March 20, 2004.

Prosecutor Forrest stated that on Saturday evening, at approximately 8:00 p.m., the Somerset County Crime Stoppers TIPS Line received an anonymous call reporting the whereabouts of defendant Kussman in North Plainfield. After receiving this information, the Somerset County Central Communications officers contacted the North Plainfield Police and the Somerset County Sheriff’s Department. Soon thereafter the defendant was located in the vicinity of the Quick Chek on Somerset Street in North Plainfield where he was arrested and returned to the custody of the Somerset County Jail from where he had been mistakenly released on Friday morning.

Douglas W. Kimmelman, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Somerset County Crime Stoppers Program, stated that this is the first arrest as a result of the Crime Stoppers reward program’s inception. Thanks to the information provided by the anonymous caller, the defendant was captured and as a result will receive a reward of $500.00, Kimmelman stated.

Prosecutor Forrest and Sheriff Provenzano both thank the Crime Stoppers Program and congratulate them on their first success.