Crime & Safety

More Than $8,000 In Jewelry Stolen From Musket Drive Home

Suspects in several other burglaries, thefts still sought

Township police are investigating the theft of more than $8,000 in jewelry from a Musket Road home after someone forced their way into the residence, Police Chief David A. Paprota said.

Officers Noah Schaffer and Jeffrey Slota responded to a 12:40 p.m. residential burglary call on April 26 at the Lanoka Harbor home. They discovered that the suspect or suspects used physical force to enter the house when the occupants were not at home, he said.

"A resident stopped home for lunch and upon entering the house heard the front door slam," the chief said. "Upon checking the home’s interior it was discovered that the home was burglarized. The home sustained more than $600 in damage due to the forced entry."

Find out what's happening in Laceywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

An inventory of the home revealed that more than $8,000 in jewelry was stolen. Detective Sergeant Christopher Cornelius and a K-9 Team from the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department assisted in a search of the surrounding area, but no suspects were found, he said.

• The owners of a Oxgoose Drive home called police at noon on April 28 to report that their home was burglarized sometime between December 2012 and April 28.  When Officer Scott Anderson responded, he discovered that a suspect or suspects had forced open an upstairs window to gain entry into the house.

Find out what's happening in Laceywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The homeowner reported that a wall-mounted 42-inch, ViewSonic LCD television and a wooden jewelry box containing costume jewelry were stolen during the burglary.  The value of the stolen property is approximately $500. Damage to the home is also estimated at $500, Paprota said.

• A Seabright Road resident called police at roughly 11 p.m. on April 26 to report that someone had stolen more than $3,000 in jewelry and $50 cash from the residence, the chief said. Officer Samuel Della Salla investigated and determined the identity of the person who took the jewelry and cash. The homeowners told police they did not wish to pursue the matter.

• Police are investigating the theft of air conditioning units and commercial refrigeration components from the closed Shark Finn Inn.

An alert resident called police at 2:30 p.m. on April 24 to report suspicious activity at the restaurant. The resident described witnessing a pickup truck fill with air conditioning units leave the inn's parking lot.

"The witness did an excellent job of recording the suspicious pickup’s description and registration," Paprota said. "Investigation led to the identity of the pickup’s owner and confirmation that air conditioning units and other commercial refrigeration components were stolen from the inn."

The investigation is continuing and formal charges are expected in the near future, the chief said.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.