Weekly Police Blotter

Arrest- On Thursday, September 17, 2020, at 7:22 p.m., Officer Scott Keefe responded to Shore Tanning in reference to a suspicious male.  Upon his arrival, Officer Keefe met with Thomas Cavanaugh, 35.  Cavanaugh explained that he was waiting for his sister who was inside one of the stores in the plaza.  During the interaction it was discovered that Cavanaugh was wanted by the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department for failing to appear at Court.  He was arrested and transported to the Ocean County Correctional Facility in lieu of $10,000 bail.

Arrest- On Friday, September 18, 2020, at 11:02 p.m., Officer Michael Hein made a motor vehicle stop on Route 9 near Warren Avenue.  During the stop, both the driver, Gokhul Rabindra, and the passenger, Mahendranauth Maniram, were arrested after marijuana was found inside the vehicle.  Both Richmond Hill, New York men were released pending a Court appearance.

Arrest- On Saturday, September 19, 2020, at 10:38 a.m., Officers Michael Baldasari and Matthew D’Antonio were dispatched to 7-Eleven, 524 Lacey Road, in reference to a counterfeit bill.  Investigation at the scene revealed that Kyle Comerford, 19, attempted to pay for a taxi ride with a counterfeit bill.  He also attempted to break the bill inside the convenience store.  During his arrest, Comerford was found in possession of an assortment of narcotics including Xanax, marijuana, and a white powdery substance.  He was charged with Possession and Intent to Distribute a Controlled Dangerous Substance in addition to Forgery.  Comerford was lodged in the Ocean County Correctional Facility without bail.

Suspicious Incident- On Tuesday, September 22, 2020, at 1:00 a.m., Lacey Police received a report from the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department.  A Berkeley Township pizza parlor received an order through text message stating that a Forked River man was being held captive by others with automatic weapons.  Numerous officers responded to the Sunrise Beach residence finding the call to be a hoax.  The detective bureau is conducting a follow-up investigation.

Criminal Mischief- On Wednesday, September 23, 2020, at 11:07 a.m., Officer Jason Lee responded to Gary Smith Way for criminal mischief to a vehicle.  The victim reported that during the overnight hours an unknown person(s) punctured all four of her vehicle’s tires.  Surveillance footage from the complex depicted a suspect running from the area.  The damage was estimated at $600.

Public Nuisance- On Wednesday, September 23, 2020, at 1:33 p.m., Officer Jason Lee responded to the area near the Ocean County Library for people being harassed by a male suspect.  Officer Lee located the actor, 26 year-old Michael Fuller of Waretown who was issued a summons for Disorderly Conduct.

Theft- On Wednesday, September 23, 2020, at 10:21 p.m., Officer Elton Copes was dispatched in reference to theft from a vehicle.  The caller stated that while his vehicle was parked in a Lacey Road commercial lot, an unknown suspect(s) entered stealing cash.  The caller estimated the theft at $200.

• Burglary & Theft — On Tuesday, September 15, 2020, at 4:44 a.m., Officer Martin Julian responded to the 200 block of Cedar Drive in reference to a report of a car burglary. The caller reported that she had just observed someone burglarizing her vehicle on her surveillance system. Investigation at the scene led to the arrest of 33-year-old Brendan J. Wason of Bayville, NJ. Brendan Wason was transported to Lacey Township Police Headquarters where he was processed and then transported to the Ocean County Correctional Facility. Brendon Wason was charged on a warrant with Burglary and Theft.
• Theft — On Wednesday, September 16, 2020, at 1:18 p.m., Officer Andrew Slota responded to police headquarters for a report of theft. The victim reported that sometime during the overnight hours someone stole his daughter’s scooter from the front yard of a residence on the 300 block of Riviera Drive. The scooter is described as a purple Razor European Vespa style electric scooter purple and white in color. It is valued at $342.
• Theft — On Friday, September 11, 2020, at 7:05 p.m., Officer Dallas Gant responded to police headquarters for a report of identity theft. The complainant reported that she received an email from Bright Lending indicating that her loan application was being processed and then an email stating that her loan has been approved. The victim reported that she did not apply for the loan. The victim also contacted her identity theft security company, Bright Lending, and the Federal Trade Commission.
• Fraud – On Tuesday, September 15, 2020, at 3:43 p.m., Officer Jason Lee responded to the 900 block of Lacey Road, in reference to a report of a phone scam. The victim reported that a woman who identified herself as Linda Brooks, from the Internal Revenue Services (IRS), contacted her. The victim also reported that “Linda” knew her social security number and told her that the IRS for an unknown reason is investigating her. “Linda” then instructed the victim to transfer money from her savings account to her checking account and purchase multiple gift cards. Lisa stated “Linda” wanted her to provide her with all the gift card numbers and pin numbers to resolve the investigation. The victim did not purchase the gift cards and immediately reported the incident to this agency.
• Fraud – On Tuesday, September 15, 2020, at 6:35 p.m. Officer Patrick Watkins responded to police headquarters in reference to a report of fraud. The victim reported that she received a notice in the mail from the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development regarding an unemployment insurance claim in her name, which she did not file. She also later received a letter from the NJ Department of Labor with a Bank of America pre-paid Visa/Debit card with her name printed on the card. The victim is in the process of contacting the NJ Department of Labor to report the incident to their fraud department.
• Warrant Arrest – On Saturday, September 12, 2020, at 11:06 p.m. Officer Anthony Ravallo responded to the 1000 block of Bowsprit Point in reference to a report of a dispute. Investigation at the scene led to the arrest of 43-year-old Jason C. Lucas of Brick, NJ on a $500 Neptune Township Municipal Court warrant, a $500 Elizabeth Municipal Court warrant, and $500 Bloomfield Municipal Court warrant. Jason Lucas was transported to Lacey Township Police Headquarters where he was processed and then transported to the custody of the Ocean County Correctional facility in lieu of bail.

DWI- On Thursday, September 3, 2020, at 11:56 p.m., Officer Scott Keefe conducted a motor vehicle stop on Beach Boulevard for a speeding violation.  During the stop it was determined that the driver was under the influence.  Denise Uveges, 48, was placed under arrest and charged with DWI, Reckless Driving, and Speeding.  She was released pending a Court appearance.

Fire- On Friday, September 4, 2020, at 5:38 p.m., Officer Matthew D’Antonio responded to a Capstan Drive home in reference to a grill fire.  Prior to arrival, the homeowner disconnected the propane tank and extinguished the fire.  The homeowner was treated at the scene for minor burns.

Fraud- On Sunday, September 6, 2020, at 11:22 a.m., Officer Matthew D’Antonio met with a Lanoka Harbor resident in reference to fraudulent charges.  The victim reported that an unknown suspect used her debit card information on multiple occasions to make purchases through the Internet.  It appeared that the charges were made from a Miami, Florida address.  The charges totaled $336.

Fire- On Sunday, September 6, 2020, at 11:56 p.m., officers responded to 441 Route 9 South for the report of a fire.  Officers discovered that a business sign adjacent to Route 9 had caught fire.  The fire was extinguished by the Forked River Fire Department and deemed not suspicious by the Ocean County Fire Marshal.

Fire- On Monday, September 7, 2020, at 8:05 p.m., Officer Anthony Sarno was dispatched to a Chestnut Drive residence for a fire.  The owner of the home reported that a fire started while cooking and that she extinguished the flames.  Damage was observed near the stove and to the ceiling and attic above.

Fire- On Friday, June 19, 2020 at 7:47 a.m., Officer Scott Anderson responded to a Laurel Boulevard property for a reported mulch fire.  The fire caused minor damage to the home’s exterior prior to being extinguished by the Lanoka Harbor Fire Department.

Assist Other Agency- On Saturday, June 20, 2020, at 2:00a.m., Officers Michael Hein and Patrick Watkins responded to a wooded area near Bryant Road.  While meeting with the caller, a Point Pleasant resident, he reported loaning his vehicle to an acquaintance one day prior and it was never returned.  The caller reported the incident to Toms River Police and was later notified by friends that the truck was seen near Bryant Road.  Attempts to recover the vehicle were unsuccessful.

Theft- On Sunday, June 21, 2020, at 3:20 p.m., Officer Andrew Slota responded to Spirits Unlimited for a reported theft.  The caller conveyed that as she exited the store she unknowingly dropped her wallet.  Once reaching her vehicle she realized and retraced her path.  A witness in the parking lot reported observing a male subject driving from the lot in a sport utility vehicle after picking up the wallet.  The victim reported that the wallet contained $280 and several credit cards.

Suspicious Incident- On Sunday, June 21, 2020, at 6:52 p.m., Officer Anthony Sarno was dispatched to a Pine Forest Lane residence for a possible break-in.  Upon arrival, the homeowner reported that she had returned home to find the front picture window of her home shattered.  No entrance was made into the home and neighbors did not report witnessing or hearing anything suspicious.

MVA- On Monday, June 22, 2020, at 2:22 a.m., headquarters received an On Star alert concerning a motor vehicle accident.  The vehicle was located just west of the Parkway entrance on Lacey Road.  The driver reported that a deer ran in front of her vehicle causing her to swerve and leave the roadway.  No injuries were sustained.

Fraud- On Tuesday, June 23, 2020, at 4:02 p.m., Officer Noah Schaffer was dispatched to Medicine to Go Pharmacy in reference to a fraudulent prescription.  The pharmacist reported that a prescription was called into the pharmacy that seemed suspicious.  After contacting the prescribing doctor it was determined that the incident was fraudulent.

Fraud- On Wednesday, June 24, 2020, at 10:48 a.m., Officer Hutman took a report of an attempted fraud involving a house for rent in Forked River.  The complainant reported they had been seeking a house for rent utilizing a popular website.  After finding a house for rent located in Forked River, which appeared to be legitimate, the complainant made contact with the purported property owner.  The complainant completed a Residential Rental Application and Lease Agreement Contract, however became suspicious of the validity of the transaction prior to making a deposit via Paypal.  The complainant then learned that the person they were dealing with was not the actual owner of the property and it was a scam.  This fraud was unsuccessful, however the public is reminded that unfortunately these scams are common and occur frequently with success.  Please be safe and diligent when dealing with unknown parties.