Three men were arrested this week after stealing property at Rella’s Restaurant, police said.
On Saturday, February 1, 2014, at 12:31 a.m., Officer Jeffrey Slota was patrolling the parking lot of Rella’s Restaurant, 443 Route 9 South, in Forked River, when he noticed that an unknown person or persons damaged and stole parts from several air conditioning units from the building.
Officer Jeffrey Slota initiated an investigation. On Monday, February 3, 2014, at approximately 10:02 a.m., police were contacted by a caretaker from Rella’s Restaurant who was reporting three suspicious males that were in the rear parking lot of Rella’s Restaurant retrieving items from the woods and placing them into the rear of a pickup truck.
The caller stated that the vehicle left the parking lot, and the caller proceeded to follow the suspect vehicle. Officers located the vehicle in the parking lot of Caffrey’s Restaurant.
Investigation at the scene led to the arrest of three males identified as 19-year-old Casey Sinopoli of Clairmore Avenue in Lanoka Harbor; 19-year-old Eric Anderson of Dolphin Court in Forked River; and 20-year-old Nicholas B. Cicerello of Deguise Street in Lanoka Harbor.
Each was charged with possession of stolen property; specifically, air compressor coils and copper piping valued at approximately $1,800. Nicholas Cicerello and Eric Anderson were processed and served with a criminal summons pending a court date.
Sinopoli was lodged in the Ocean County Correctional Facility with bail set at $10,000. The vehicle they were operating was impounded for possible forfeiture proceedings.
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