Weekly Police Blotter

Disorderly Conduct- On Saturday, July 10, 2021, at 9:21 p.m., Officers Brian Holt and Scott Keefe were dispatched to the Cedar Creek Trestle on the Rail Trail in reference to a fight.  Officers discovered that a large group of juveniles were involved in a physical altercation prior to their arrival.  One juvenile reported that her cell phone was stolen during the incident.

Arrest- On Tuesday, July 13, 2021, at 10:15 a.m., members of the detective bureau executed a search warrant at a Clearview Street residence.  The warrant was sought in reference to an assault that took place inside the home on July 4, 2021.  The homeowner, Daniel Hinton, was ultimately arrested and charged with Certain Persons Not to Possess a Weapon, Terroristic Threats, and Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose.  He was lodged in the Ocean County Correctional Facility without bail.

Arrest- On Wednesday, July 14, 2021, at 8:45 a.m., detectives arrested a Forked River man in reference to a theft.  The investigation began on June 18, 2021, when a victim reported that his vehicle was stolen from a Sunrise Beach residence.  The investigation revealed that the homeowner, Bernard Kappen, sold the vehicle to a scrap company without the owner’s knowledge.    Simultaneous to the arrest, detectives executed a search warrant at Kappen’s Hemlock Lane home discovering evidence of the theft.  Kappen was transported to the Ocean County Correctional Facility in accordance with bail reform.

Theft- On Wednesday, July 14, 2021, at 5:34 p.m., Officer Michael Baldasari responded to Walmart in reference to a theft.  The juvenile victim reported that while he was inside the store an unknown person stole his bicycle.  The bicycle was valued at $750.

DWI- On Wednesday, July 14, 2021, at 11:41 p.m., Officer Elton Copes was dispatched to assist a disabled vehicle on Route 539.  Officer Copes discovered that the driver, a Pennsylvania resident, was impaired.  Gregory Chalmers was arrested and charged with DWI and Reckless Driving.  He was released pending a Court appearance.

DWI- On Friday, July 2, 2021, at 4:11 p.m., several officers responded to the area of Riverview Road in reference to a driver going into the water.  Officers eventually located the vehicle on Tamiami Road and deemed the driver under the influence.  Robert Hahn, 59, pulled away from officers as he was being arrested leading to criminal charges of Resisting Arrest and Obstruction of Justice.  Hahn was issued motor vehicle summonses for DWI, Refusal to Submit to Breath Testing, and Reckless Driving.

MVA- On Saturday, July 3, 2021, at 5:19 a.m., officers were dispatched to the intersection of Route 9 and First Street for a motor vehicle accident.  Officers discovered that a vehicle left the roadway and collided with a utility pole.  The pole was broken off at the base and was being suspended by the power lines.  The accident caused Route 9 to be closed for approximately 12 hours.  The 19 year-old female driver was uninjured.

Arrest- On Saturday, July 3, 2021, at 2:57 p.m., multiple officers were dispatched to Walmart in reference to a shoplifting.  Asset Protection reported that a male and female couple were observed concealing items inside a backpack prior to exiting through the garden center.  The two suspects, Jesse Gibson, 34, and Jessica Peters, 32, were located in the Lacey Mall parking and placed under arrest.  Both were charged with Shoplifting and released on their own recognizance in accordance with bail reform.

DWI- On Wednesday, July 7, 2021, at 9:34 a.m., several officers were dispatched to the area of Route 9 near Haines Street for a three-car motor vehicle accident.  Investigation at the scene revealed that a vehicle driven by Joseph Lipari failed to stop and collided with the rear of a second vehicle.  The collision caused the second vehicle to move forward colliding with a third vehicle.  Lipari was placed under arrest after failing sobriety tests.  He was issued motor vehicle summonses for DWI and Reckless Driving in addition to being charged criminally with Assault by Auto.  Lipari was released pending a Court appearance.

MVA- On Thursday, July 8, 2021, at 7:36 a.m., officers responded to the intersection of Lacey Road and Eagleswood Place for a motor vehicle accident.  Upon arrival, officers discovered that a vehicle traveling westbound on Lacey Road collided with a second vehicle exiting a commercial lot.  The exiting vehicle was attempting to cross two lanes of traffic when the accident occurred.  One driver, an 80 year-old Forked River man, was airlifted to a trauma center for neck and back injuries.  The second driver, a Forked River female, was treated at the scene for minor injuries.

Theft- On Friday, June 18, 2021, at 8:47 a.m., Officer Scott Anderson was dispatched to an Orlando Drive residence in reference to theft.  The homeowner reported that while preparing to go on a golf outing, he placed his bag of clubs near the street waiting for a friend to pick him up.  As he was inside the home, an unknown subject stole the clubs from the end of the driveway.  The theft is valued at $2,650.

Theft- On Friday, June 18, 2021, at 1:51 p.m., Officer Dan Ricciardella met with a resident in reference to a stolen vehicle.  The victim conveyed that he dropped his 1997 Ford F-150 at a Hemlock Lane several weeks prior to have work performed by a private mechanic.  The resident/mechanic there reported that when the vehicle went missing he assumed the owner picked up the truck.  The theft is valued at $3,500.

MVA- On Sunday, June 20, 2021, at 6:52 p.m., Officer Scott Keefe was dispatched to a wooded area near the Ocean Township border for a dirt bike accident.  Two men, 38 and 22, apparently collided in a head on crash near the intersection of Wells Mills Road and Bryant Road.  One subject was airlifted to a trauma center while the second was transported by ambulance to a local hospital.  Both men, who are residents of Bridgewater and Somerset Townships, were later deemed in stable condition.  Officer Keefe was assisted by the Ocean Township Police Department, Ocean Township Fire Department, and the EMS from both Ocean and Lacey.

Power Outage- On Monday, June 21, 2021, at 1:01 p.m., officers responded to the rear property of the Oyster Creek Generating Station.  It appeared that an excavator moving Jersey barriers took down utility wires.  The operator, who was not injured, remained inside the machine while JCP&L workers shut down power.  The incident caused power outages in Lacey, Waretown, and Barnegat.  The Ocean County Sheriff’s Department provided backup and assisted with directing traffic at local intersections until the power was restored.

Theft- On Tuesday, June 22, 2021, at 9:02 a.m., Officer John Simonson met with an employee of Cardinal Contracting, 2006 Lacey Road in reference to a theft.  The complainant stated that during an unknown period actor(s) cut catalytic converters from two separate construction vehicle located on the property.  The damage is estimated at $600.

DWI- On Thursday, June 24, 2021, at 6:35 a.m., Officer Andrew Slota was dispatched to a suspicious person walking near Route 9 and First Street.  The caller reported that the subject entered a vehicle parked in a commercial lot and he appeared to be intoxicated.  Officer Slota located the vehicle after it drove from the lot and confirmed his intoxication.  Thomas Daly, 35, was charged with DWI and Reckless Driving prior to being released.

Fraud- On Thursday, June 10, 2021, at 4:21 p.m., Officer Dallas Gant met with a Forked River resident reporting fraud.  The victim claimed that he received notice from NJ Unemployment concerning his application.  The victim conveyed that he had not applied for unemployment benefits and that an unknown actor filed fictitiously using his personal information.

Fraud- On Friday, June 11, 2021, at 3:52 p.m., Officer Anthony Sarno was dispatched to a fraud report.  The victim reported that someone utilized her bankcard to make a $220 purchase.  Although the bank card never left her possession, the purchase was made through an internet site and delivered to Houston, Texas.

MVA- On Monday, June 14, 2021, at 10:00 a.m., officers responded to the Lacey Mall in reference to a pedestrian struck.  The investigation revealed that a 34 year-old Brooklyn woman fell from the passenger compartment of a vehicle.  The victim was transported to a local hospital for head injuries and the incident remains under investigation.

Fraud- On Tuesday, June 15, 2021, at 1:12 p.m., Officer Jason Lee met with a Lanoka Harbor resident reporting a scam.  The victim explained that an unknown person was threatening to release confidential photos of him unless he forwarded cash through the app, “Remitly.”

DWI- On Wednesday, June 16, 2021, at 10:21 p.m., Officer Brian Holt conducted a motor vehicle stop near the intersection of Route 9 and Haines Street.  During the stop, Officer Holt deemed that the driver, Michael Klepczyk, 23, was under the influence.  Klepczyk was arrested and charged with DWI and Reckless Driving.  Michael was released pending a Court appearance.