Embury Avenue, east of Central. PG photo
By Paul Goldfinger
The Neptune Township Police Department announced today that Mark Alan Nicastro, age 50, of Embury Avenue, was charged with two counts of burglary, 2 counts of criminal mischief and single counts of theft and drug paraphernalia possession.
Nicastro had been arrested last Thursday, January 12, 2012, after he forcibly entered a summer home on the second block of Embury Avenue, police said. A neighbor had heard the home’s security alarm activate and saw the suspect leave the property. The police were called , and the suspect was arrested a short distance from the crime scene.
The police also linked him to a January 3 burglary of an apartment on Mt. Hermon Way.
Today, Nicastro, an unemployed house painter, is incarcerated at Monmouth County Correctional Institute in Freehold on $120,000 bail.
Once again, the NTPD encourages the public to report suspicious activity immediately to the police by calling 9-1-1.
Perhaps the current address of the perpetrator will cause those who see cameras at the gates as a panacea to think more about the relative costs and benefits of such cameras. In addition to installation, cameras are of little use without individuals to monitor those cameras. Further cameras cause a significant invasion of personal privacy. To my mind these significant costs do not outweigh the limited benefits of maybe catching a thief. The actual eyes and ears of residents and the Citizens Patrol are more effective at a fraction of the cost.
This individual is not your typical Ocean Grove “neighbor.” Some neighbors have meaningful roots in town, while others do not. Prior to recently moving into the Grove, he had been living in Asbury Park.
Awesome work police! Sad though that this guy was actually living amongst us. Stealing from your own neighbors is about as low as one can go.