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Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include information from the Neptune Township police.

By Charles Layton

Ocean Grove has suffered a new round of window smashing by vandals.

Neptune Police said Friday that the incidents were similar to acts of criminal mischief committed in several other shore communities around the same time.

At least two Ocean Grove houses in the Mt. Tabor/Mt. Hermon Way area had their windows broken by thrown rocks. Police said a parked car in Ocean Grove was also hit, and that the crimes likely were committed between the hours of 11 p.m. Wednesday and 1:30 a.m. Thursday.

“An Ocean Grove witness reported seeing three people, possibly two white males and a white female, operating a SUV described as a Jeep Cherokee, color blue, in the area at the time of the incidents,” police said in a press release.

One of the broken windows in Ocean Grove. Photo by Mary Walton

The statement also said this week’s incidents “are similar to crimes that occurred approximately three weeks ago in Ocean Grove where cars were damaged. During that time a witness reported seeing two younger males operating a SUV described as a Nissan Xtera, color silver.” (For background on those previous incidents, go here.)

The statement did not name the other shore towns where vandalism occurred, nor did it describe the extent of that vandalism.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Neptune PD at 732-988-8000. Detective Jason Petillo is coordinating the investigations.

Saturday update: An Ocean Grove resident passes along this email, regarding an incident on Franklin Avenue:

“On 02/23 ~ 1 a.m. on Feb. 23 a blue older jeep Cherokee pulled up in front of my house. A white male exited the car and then threw a stone that broke through a double-hung window, rock entered into porch. Car drove away with at least 3 white younger males.”