Weekly Police Blotter – Lacey Township Police Department – June 3rd thru June 9th, 2014

Weekly Police Blotter – Press Release

June 3^rd, 2014 thru June 9^th, 2014

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• Additional Burglary Charges – As reported previously, 26-year-old Melanie Callari of 418 Penn Avenue North in Forked River was arrested on Monday, June 2, 2014, for Burglary and Theft. Melanie Callari was committed to the Ocean County Correctional Facility. Continuing investigation by Lacey Township detectives has resulted in Melanie Callari being charged on Monday, June 9, 2014, with four additional residential burglaries. Detectives were able to match jewelry pawned in Atlantic City to various burglaries committed in Lacey Township. Bail on the additional charges was set at $50,000 as Melanie Callari remains committed to the Ocean County Correctional Facility. Property from the various burglaries was recovered and returned to the victims.

• Theft – On Tuesday, June 3, 2014, at 12:43 p.m., Officer Michael Hein responded to Bicycles Unlimited, 407 Lacey Road in Forked River, for a report of theft. The business owner reported that between 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 1, 2014, and 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 3, 2014, an unknown person or persons stole the air conditioning compressor from the rear of the building. The air conditioning compressor, located at the far east of the building near Briggs Avenue was completely removed. The stolen air conditioning compressor is a Carrier model 38CKC048370 valued at $2,800.

• Criminal Mischief, Burglary & Theft from a Vehicle – On Wednesday, June 4, 2014, at 10:16 a.m., Officer Keith Pearce responded to Kauai Drive in Forked River for a radio stolen from a vehicle. The victim reported that during the overnight hours, an unknown person or persons smashed the rear window of his 2005 Jeep Wrangler while it was parked in the driveway of the residence and stole the face plate to his Sony RMX201 stereo. The damage to the vehicle is estimated at $300 and the stolen face plate is estimated at $160.

• Burglary & Theft from a Residence – On Wednesday, June 4, 2014, at 1:22 p.m., Officer Keith Pearce responded to Bay Way in Lanoka Harbor in reference to a burglary. The resident reported that an unknown person or persons burglarized her home between May 30, 2014, and Wednesday, June 4, 2014. Entry was made through a basement window that had been forced open from the outside. Several rooms appeared to have been ransacked and approximately $25,000 worth of jewelry was reported stolen. The resident also reported that her detached garage and car were entered as well. Ocean County Sheriff’s Department Criminalistics Investigation Unit responded and the Lacey Township Detective bureau is investigating.

• Shoplifting & Warrant (Arrests) – On Wednesday, June 4, 2014, at 4:42 p.m., Officer Dimitri Tsarnas responded to Walmart in reference to shoplifting. The loss prevention employee reported that he observed a male, later identified as Robert Cragg Jr., attempt to shoplift merchandise that had not been purchased. The shoplifted merchandise included fishing lures. Six outstanding warrants were also located for Robert Cragg, Jr. The warrants included a $100 and a $250 Camden City Municipal Court warrants, two $1,000 Trenton Municipal Court warrants, and two $500 Burlington City Court warrants. Robert Cragg, Jr. was placed under arrest and transported to Lacey Township Police Headquarters. Robert Cragg, Jr. was charged with Shoplifting and Judge Damian Murray set bail at $2,500. Robert Cragg was unable to post bail and was transported to the Ocean County Jail.

• Uttering a Forged Document & Criminal Attempt Fraud (Arrest) – On Wednesday, June 4, 2014, at 1:19 p.m., Officer John Simonson, responded to the CVS Pharmacy at 700 Route 9 in Lanoka Harbor in reference to a fraud. The pharmacy manager reported that a female, later identified as 54-year-old Ann Martin of 644 East Arverne Avenue in Ocean Gate, NJ, provided the pharmacy with a fraudulent prescription. Ann Martin provided the pharmacist with a prescription for 120 Percocet 325mg tablets from a doctor located in Eatontown, NJ. The pharmacist reported that the prescription showed signs of irregularity, so she contacted the listed doctor’s office and was informed that Ann Martin was not a patient of their office and was not prescribed Percocet by their doctor. Officer Simonson spoke with the doctor’s office as well and confirmed that the prescription was fraudulent. Ann Martin was placed under arrest and transported to Lacey Police Headquarters where she was processed and charged with Uttering a Forged Document and Criminal Attempt to Obtain CDS by Fraud.

• DUI (Arrest) – On Wednesday, June 4, 2014, at 11:52 p.m., Officer Dimitri Tsarnas conducted a motor vehicle stop on Pine Street in Forked River after observing the vehicle turn directly into the path of an oncoming car on Lacey Road. Investigation at the scene led to the arrest of 60-year-old Robert Bair of Lakeside Drive North in Forked River for DUI. The vehicle was impounded pursuant to John’s law. Robert Bair was processed and was issued summonses for DUI, Reckless Driving, and Failure to Maintain Lane.

• Burglary & Theft from a Residence – On Thursday, June 5, 2014, at 11:34 a.m., Officer Keith Pearce responded to 592 Vaughn Avenue in Forked River in reference to a burglary of a residence. The resident reported that during the past two weeks an unknown person or persons burglarized his home and stole a camera and toolbox. The actor gained entry to the residence by cutting a window screen and climbing in through an unlocked window.

• Theft – On Thursday, June 05, 2014, at 6:48 p.m., Officer Dimitri Tsarnas and Officer Michael Verwey responded to the Yummy Yummy Chinese Restaurant located at 725 Route 9 South in Forked River for a report of theft. The owner reported that an unknown person stole the tip jar and ran out of the front door. The owner reported that he chased the subject into a wooded but had to stop after he injured his foot. The suspect was described as a white male, approximately 5’06” tall, 16-20 years of age, shoulder length brown hair, and was wearing a striped sweatshirt.

  Officer M. Verwey canvassed the area for the suspect and located three juvenile males near the intersection of South River Drive and Nantucket Road in the Forked River section of the township. One of the males was sweating profusely as if he just been running. Upon questioning the suspects separately it was determined that the male subject that was sweating had stolen the tip jar. The suspect was taken into custody and brought to police headquarters where he was turned over to the custody of his father. He was charged with theft of $33.19 on a juvenile complaint. All of stolen property was recovered and turned over to the store owner.

• Traffic Accident – On Friday, June 6, 2014, at 10:04 a.m., Officers responded to the intersection of Route 9 and Lacey Road in reference to a two vehicle traffic accident involving a motorcycle. The motorcycle was traveling south on Route 9 and the other vehicle was traveling north on Route 9. As the motorcycle approached the intersection, the other vehicle attempted to make a left turn onto Lacey Road, causing the vehicles to collide in the intersection. The operator of the motorcycle was flown to Jersey Shore Medical Center with serious injury and the passenger of the motorcycle was transported to Community Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. The operator of the vehicle was not injured. The Lacey Township Police Department Fatal Accident Support Team responded and took over the investigation. The accident is under investigation.

• Drug Overdose (Heroin) – On Friday, June 6, 2014, at 7:19 p.m., Officer Michael Verwey and Officer Dimitri Tsarnas responded to the 100 block of Clearwater Drive in Forked River for a report of an unconscious fall victim. The patient, a 46-year-old male from Manchester, NJ, was found lying on the hallway floor unconscious and unresponsive. Lacey Township Emergency Medical Services began CPR and advised the officers that the victim was possibly overdosing on heroin. Officer Michael Verwey administered Naloxone, but the patient did not respond. Paramedics arrived on scene and began advanced life support. He was transported to Community Medical Center by Lacey Township EMS and paramedics. The other occupants of the residence were interviewed by the officers. They indicated that Chad Williams went into the bathroom and after several minutes they heard him fall and found him on the floor unconscious. Five syringes, one wax fold of Heroin, and one glass smoking pipe containing resin suspected to be crack cocaine were found in the bathroom where he fell unconscious. The items were seized. The Lacey Township Detective Bureau and the Ocean County Prosecutors Office were notified. Child Protective Services was notified as a result of a 9-year-old child being present in the home during the incident. The Overdose Prevention Act of 2013 prohibits charges being filed for the possession and use of the CDS.

• Drug Overdose (Heroin) – On Friday, June 6, 2014, at 8:10 p.m., Officer Noah Schaffer, Officer Robert Duffy, and Officer Andrew Slota responded to the 500 block of Nantucket Road in Forked River in reference to a possible Heroin overdose. The caller indicated that a 23-year-old female from Forked River was lying on the bathroom floor unconscious, unresponsive and possibly not breathing. Officer Noah Schaffer immediately administered Naloxone to the female who regained consciousness approximately a minute later. The female informed officers that she utilized a hypodermic needle to “shoot” Heroin into her neck. The needle was turned over to Officer Schaffer and was submitted into property. She was transported to Community Medical Center by Lacey Township EMS and paramedics. The Lacey Township Detective Bureau and the Ocean County Prosecutors Office were notified of the incident. The Overdose Prevention Act of 2013 prohibits charges being filed for the possession and use of the CDS.

• Shoplifting – On Friday, June 6, 2014, Officers responded to two separate incidents of shoplifting. The first incident occurred at 9:00 p.m. at the Spirits Unlimited located at 3 Lacey Road in Forked River. The store clerk reported that three black males stole two bottles of liquor from the store. The clerk reported she noticed that two of the suspects appeared to have items concealed under their clothing as they left the store and upon checking the area she observed empty boxes of Jonnie Walker Black left on the shelf. Upon confirming that the items had been stolen, the suspects had already fled the scene in a silver Nissan Altima. The total value of the stolen alcohol is $93.

  The second incident occurred at 9:23 p.m. at JR’s liquors located at 1000 Lacey Road in Forked River. The employee reported that three black males entered the store and were acting suspiciously. As customers were informing her that the subjects were acting suspiciously, they had exited the store and fled in a Nissan. Upon reviewing the video surveillance it was determined that nine bottles of alcohol from a shelf located near the front door of the business had been stolen, which included seven 750ml bottles of Johnny Walker Black and two 1.75L bottles of Johnny Walker Black with a total value of $451.

  The owner of the store also reported that a similar incident occurred at approximately 8:45 p.m. at his other store, Lacey Liquors located at 349 Route 9 in Forked River. Three black males entered the store and one of the suspects attempted to conceal a bottle of alcohol in his pants. A store employee confronted the suspect, who subsequently put the bottle down and left the store with the other two suspects. The incidents are under investigation. The registered owner of the suspect vehicle resides in Haledon, NJ.

• Warrant (Arrest) – On Saturday, June 7, 2014, at 5:39 p.m., Officer Charles May and Michael Verwey responded to 103 Chestnut Lane in Forked River to serve a $500 Lacey Township criminal warrant on 43-year-old Ronald Schmidbauer who resides at that address. Ronald Schmidbauer was located and placed under arrest. Ronald Schmidbauer was transported to Lacey Township Police Headquarters where he was processed before being transported to the Ocean County Correctional Facility in default of bail.

• Burglary & Theft (Residence) – On Sunday, June 8, 2014, at 12:25 p.m., Officer Robert Flynn responded to the 800 block of Rogers Street in Lanoka Harbor in reference to a residential burglary. The resident reported that between 8:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 7, 2014, an unknown person or persons entered the locked residence and stole two prescription bottles from the bathroom medicine cabinet. One bottle contained approximately 10 pills of Codeine and the other contained approximately 10 pills of Percocet. The prescription medication was valued at $30. The resident also reported that $200 in cash was missing from a bedroom dresser. No signs of forced entry could be located. The Lacey Township detective Bureau was notified of the incident.

• Theft from a Boat & Warrant (Arrest) – On Sunday, June 8, 2014, at 11:09 a.m., Officer Scott Keefe responded with Officer Jeffrey Slota and Officer Dan Ricciardella to the Laurel Harbor Marina in reference to a male subject who was burglarizing boats. The caller reported that the suspect was stealing alcohol from inside of the boats. Upon arrival, officers located the suspect, 52-year-old Joseph A. Marrocco of 354 Yorktown Drive in Forked River. Investigation at the scene led to the arrest of Joseph A. Marrocco for burglary of a boat and theft of a bottle of Three Olives “Loopy” Vodka valued at $28.00. Two Spring Lake Heights Municipal Court arrest warrants were also located for Joseph Marrocco. He was transported to Lacey Township Police Headquarters where he was processed and charged with burglary and theft. Judge Damian Murray set bail at $15,000 with no 10% option. Joseph Marrocco was transported to the Ocean County Correctional Facility in default of bail.