By Charles Layton
Police in Spring Lake say they believe they have solved the months-long spree of rock-throwing vandalism that has plagued numerous towns, including Ocean Grove.
Five people in their teens and 20s — four from Neptune and one from Neptune City — were arrested last Friday night following a report of rocks thrown through the windows of a car and a home in Spring Lake. The Asbury Park Press quoted a Spring Lake police officer, Lt. Gerald Preston, as saying the group had confessed to numerous other such incidents throughout the area.
The paper said Spring Lake police found a bag of rocks on the seat of the SUV in which the suspects were riding.
Preston was quoted as saying the suspects have given video confessions. All told, he said, there have been about 150 reports of rocks being thrown through the windows of houses and parked cars in recent months, in Spring Lake Heights, Sea Girt, Manasquan, Brielle, Belmar, Wall, Howell, Framingdale, Tinton Falls, Allenhurst, Atlantic Highlands, Rumson, West Long Branch, Bradley Beach, Ocean, Eatontown, Avon, Deal, Brick and Neptune (Ocean Grove). It will be up to each of these towns to file charges in their particular cases, if the evidence warrants.
We first reported on rock-throwing incidents in Ocean Grove in January of this year. At that time, Neptune Police said vandals had cruised through town hurling rocks through the windows of parked cars and homes. There were 12 victims in Ocean Grove during that single outbreak. A witness reported seeing two young males in a silver SUV. More incidents of window smashing followed in the Grove in late February. At that time a witness reported seeing several people in a blue SUV.
All these incidents took place late at night.
Other towns experienced similar incidents. For instance, on one evening in late March rocks were thrown through the windows of 11 homes and vehicles in Wall. In that incident, too, a dark-colored SUV was seen.
One of the five arrested in Spring Lake on Friday was a 17-year-old juvenile from Neptune, who was released to his father. The other four, charged with two counts each of criminal mischief, were identified as Tyler Emmons, 18, of Neptune; Lauren Magaw, 21, of Neptune; Philip Williams, 24, of Neptune, and James Turetzkin, 19, of Neptune City. Those four were released on summonses.
The APP does have a story, but it’s rather sketchy and it’s also hard to find on their website. But Starnewsgroup.com filed an excellent story on Thursday. Check it out.
OK found it, last article after scroll down at 8:40
It is 8:30 PM. I do not find any APP coverage, NOTHING! Sea girt Luxury Buildings get covered 2X but a story covering 15 communities….NADA. Thank you Blogfinger for being.
I “looked around” and found the APP coverage, minimal as it was. Thanks! Far better (and more reliable) information on this subject is on this blog and in today’s on-line edition of The Coast Star (starnewsgroup.com) under “Rock Vandals Face150 Charges” headline.
Janet, Asbury Park Press sucks. They aren’t the paper they used to be. Best place for OG News is Blogfinger……..by far!!
It’s in the APP. Communities, Mon County and scroll down
@Janet, you wont find this in the APP because they don’t report real news anymore, at least nothing relevant to local towns.
Am just catching up with Blogfinger news. This reporting is amazing. Thank you Blogfinger editors for keeping us so well informed.
I searched the Asbury Park Press Website to find other local reporting on this story, but wasn’t able to find anything. Perhaps it’s because my on-line research skills aren’t that good. Or maybe it’s the lack of local reporting (other than this wonderful blog).
dear charles
your point is understood…however if any or all of those who confessed try to recant later they should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law regardless of who their family is…let a jury of their peers decide.
my concern is that there will be a plea bargain reached which will amount to a “slap on the wrist” …on this point i would like to be wrong, but i am not hopeful
Given the number of incidents to which the police say they have confessions, and the number of municipalities in which these incidents are alleged to have occurred, it is likely that the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office will step in. With the number of alleged incidents and the dollar value of the damage when it is tallied, it’s very possible the summons for a misdemeanor could be multiplied into felony charges, to be tried in Superior Court in Freehold, rather than separate court dates in each municipality. (Reminder: those accused are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.)
(And if this was a municipal case and the prosecutor determined that a defendant had a connection to the Township or court that might unduly influence the judge, prosecutor or public defender, the case would be moved to another town. I know this to be true because I am a witness in an assault case and it is being tried in another town because the fact that I was police commissioner and I have a voice in appointing the judge and prosecutor, it could be prejudicial.)
no buts and Bythesea —
Glad you brought that up. Let’s clarify this issue. What we reported was that the POLICE SAID confessions were made. Notice that WE are not saying this, we are attributing it to the police. What exactly was the nature of those “confessions”? Did all five confess, or four of them, or three of them? We don’t know for sure. Therefore, it is wrong for us — and for any of you — to leap to the conclusion that these five people are “criminals” or “vandals” or “perpetrators.” They are accused, yes. They are suspects, yes. It looks very bad for them, yes. But that is all we know for certain at this point. They deserve to be judged in a court of law, by rules of evidence, not judged prematurely by people like us on the basis of an incomplete set of facts.
Seems to me that the EDITOR’S NOTE just had to be added to the bottom of the article, along with “We are not responsible” for the comments of others. Personally, I think seeing it once would be enough rather than tagging everyone’s comments. I believe most of us are able to read that and get the message.
dear editor
according to your report…they already admitted to the incidents and have made a full confession…
While they are innocent until proven guily, the reporting says they confessed. That makes them guilty in my book. I hope too they do some serious jail time as this is a wanton display of antisocial behavior over months that resulted in thousands of dollars of damage.
i hope there isn’t going to be any political hankypanky because this guy’s father is the ex-fire chief…these 5 individuals should be required to make full restitution for ALL the damage done in ALL the towns they hit….as well as do the appropriate amount of jail time…no ifs ands or buts.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Even in our anger, it is important to remember that these five people have only been accused, they have not been proven to have committed any crime. Under our system, they are assumed innocent until proven guilty.
Charles and Joker, one of the arrested, Phil Williams, is a NEPTUNE FIREFIGHTER. Per the website http://www.unexcelledfire.com/members.html he is a current member of the force. His father is the ex-chief. What an embarassment to all the hardworking men of Unexcelled Fire Company. I hope they kick him off the job.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Even in our anger, it is important to remember that these five people have only been accused, they have not been proven to have committed any crime. Under our system, they are assumed innocent until proven guilty.
Sadly it appears that Phil is associated with a Fire Company per FB. Perhaps they have some morals clause that will impact that relationship. While I certainly did not live in a glass house growing up (sorry, it had to be said) I knew damaging other people’s property over a period of months was wrong. Another group of ‘Tuners bringing glory to the town.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Even in our anger, it is important to remember that these five people have only been accused, they have not been proven to have committed any crime. Under our system, they are assumed innocent until proven guilty.
@oldtimer they are charged on each item damaged, so 1 house window and 1 car window = 2 counts CM.
It is not reckless endangerment, does not fit requirements. They would have to know that by throwing rocks they would be causing serious bodily harm or death.
Each town would have to charge these kids with individual counts for each object DAMAGED, not rocks thrown because that’s not a quantifiable charge.
Please print mug shots and employment or school information as well as anything else which might cause them embarrassment…assuming it is possible for them to be embarrassed.
I understand the 17-year-old “minor” would have to be excluded (what a joke).
Sal234 — FYI, two of these suspects, Lauren Magaw and Phil Williams, are on Facebook. I’m sure there’ll be embarrassment enough before this is over.
It’s exactly this sort of slap on the wrist that encourages criminals. The penalty seems laughable relative to the level of destruction inflicted. They need to lower the boom on these vandals. I agree that Neptune Township needs to press charges also — especially since these folks were from Neptune.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Even in our anger, it is important to remember that these five people have only been accused, they have not been proven to have committed any crime. Under our system, they are assumed innocent until proven guilty.
Must be some PROUD parents of these misguided young adults. All but one of these “kids” is of voting age but feel that randomly damaging other people’s property is a good way to get their jollies. Restitution, complete restitution, is the answer here! Perhaps printing the current addresses for the four adults would bring pressure upon them (not for retribution certainly, but for good old embarrassment).
EDITOR’S NOTE: Even in our anger, it is important to remember that these five people have only been accused, they have not been proven to have committed any crime. Under our system, they are assumed innocent until proven guilty.
Perhaps they were stoned? Or should be?
The Wall police didn’t catch them either so i guess the Spring Lake police were just in the right place at the right time.
A summons? They should be grounded for at least a week. And no TV.
Seems to me that these criminals should be charged with a lot more than two counts of criminal mischief. How about adding one count of criminal mischief for each rock thrown (typically done in cases of rock throwing). Let’s also throw in reckless endangerment (did they not throw rocks at houses?) and how about first-degree criminal property damage. The goal must be a lengthy (3+ year) prison sentence for the adults. There are also several possible motor vehicle statutes that could be considered since the use of a car was integral to the crime. Of course their licenses should be suspended. Hopefully also, a few of the victims will file tort actions. The minor involved should have to go to juvenile hall. And that’s just for Spring Lake. There is a great opportunity for each of the other towns involved to also bring charges. That includes you, Neptune Township police. Let’s teach these criminals a lesson.
BTW, do we know how the Spring Lake police captured these criminals when other towns did not?
EDITOR’S NOTE: Even in our anger, it is important to remember that these five people have only been accused, they have not been proven to have committed any crime. Under our system, they are assumed innocent until proven guilty.