Crime & Safety

Police Nab Springfield Ave Robbery Suspect

Irvington man allegedly assaulted Summit homeowner after morning break-in, say cops.

arrested an Irvington man this morning after he allegedly entered a home in the 100 block of Springfield Avenue while the homeowner was working in the basement. 


Police say Cecil Mitchell-Thomas, 20, was told to leave the home by the homeowner and then pushed the 31-year-old Summit resident down a flight of stairs and ran out. The unnamed man had come up from his basement to see about foot steps he was hearing on the first floor. "[Mitchell-Thomas] had been ransacking the house, looking for items and the homeowner interrupted him while he was doing that," said Capt. Steven Zagorski. The Summit man suffered only minor injuries from his fall and did not seek medical attention.

A witness who Zagorski said is a retired New Jersey police officer told Summit police that he saw Mitchell-Thomas bolt out of the side door of the Springfield Avenue home. "We actually got two 911 calls. One from the victim and then a neighbor at Argyle Court who witnessed someone run out the [Springfield Avenue] home and through an Argyle Court backyard." Zagorski credited the witness with helping police make their arrest. 


The Union County Sheriff's K-9 unit was called to help track Mitchell-Thomas. He was found near the railroad tracks at the rear of Argyle Court, according to police. Summit police Lt. Michael Rabasca and Officer Jonathan Garcia arrested Mitchell-Thomas without incident.

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Mitchell-Thomas allegedly entered the home through an open door sometime around 10 a.m., and was charged with aggravated assault, robbery, burglary and possession of burglary tools. He was taken to the Union County jail on $100,000 bail.


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