DNA connects Atlantic City man to 2016 Hamilton Township burglaries

DNA evidence resulted in an Atlantic City man being charged in several Hamilton Township burglaries from 2016, police said. Gilbert Bonilla was already jailed after two failed robbery attempts in one day June in Atlantic City, when police connected him to a rash of burglaries in Hamilton Township. The burglaries were reported on Anglesey, Brecknock, Bala, and Denbigh courts between April 12 and May 16, 2016, Lt. Larry Fernan said. At the time Gregory VanGilder was a patrol officer who responded to the burglaries. Now a detective, VanGilder recently got DNA evidence from one of the crime scenes, which linked it to 34-year-old Bonilla. Bonilla was taken from the Atlantic County Justice Facility and brought to the Township of Hamilton Police Department, where he provided a full confession, Fernan said. He was charged with six counts of burglary, six counts of theft and two counts of criminal mischief. Bonilla was issued summonses in those cases, under bail reform, and then sent back to jail.