“Crime is up in Ocean Grove since the summer people have left,” our Neighborhood Watch coordinator informed us on Tuesday, “so please be careful and watchful. Lots of yard and outside items are being stolen…”
The Neptune PD provided the following specifics:
- Someone entered a residence in the area of 110 Lake Avenue and removed a laptop computer. The residence was unlocked and unoccupied at the time.
- Someone entered an unsecured house in the area of 40 West Avenue and stole an iPad.
- Two unlocked bicycles were stolen from the area of Bethany Block and Broadway.
- One locked bicycle was stolen from the area of 60 Lake Avenue.
- Money was removed from the console of an unlocked vehicle in the area of 40 Benson Avenue.
- In the area between 110 Broadway and 139 Broadway there were three reported thefts of the following items: a statue, a water fountain and a decorative planter.
- Decorative exterior lighting was stolen from the area of 80 Heck Avenue.
- A resident reported a suspicious man in the area of Ocean and Embury Avenues. Patrols responded and located the man. He was found to be in possession of narcotics and was arrested.
— Charles Layton
I have had items stolen from my garden also. I found the only way to keep my large concrete angel and cement dolphins from being stolen was to sit them in 80 pounds of concrete. Well, it worked but brass or any other metal items are priority during these times. My gazing ball comes in when we’re not staying over.
People do it because there are no legal consequences if they get caught. I am quite certain that the thief who stole the gazing ball — if caught — would not receive any meaningful punishment (e.g., prison time). Look at the rock throwers who committed their crimes many, many times over months in many communities — causing many thousands of dollars of damages. They received no punishment (except paying up for the actual damage they caused). They thought it was fun and I’m now sure they think the criminal justice system in Monmouth County is a joke. It would not surprise me that the criminals responsible for these recent thefts have concluded — after watching the non-punishment of those hooligans who threw the rocks — that crime has no meaninful risk in Ocean Grove or surrounding towns.
Until we get tough on the criminals — they will steal and exploit honest hard-working folks.
We had a lawn ornament stolen from our yard 3 weeks ago. Cookman Ave.
About two years ago, while I was sitting on my porch, two teen age girls came by on their bikes. They stopped, not noticing me, and one of them dismounted and went onto my neighbor’s porch. She took a pair of hand pruners and was about to ride away with her loot when I called out to her. I asked her what she was doing. She answered that she needed the pruners for her bicycle. I told her to put them back, and she did. Why did she do it?
OhGee wants to know if a person who steals a “gazing ball” ball or keys a car might be mentally ill. OhGee sees no other possible explanation for that behavior.
I think that people sometimes engage in bad behavior, not because of money or mental illness, but because they are just lacking in civilized values. It is a moral issue that defies simplistic answers.
It’s too bad we never learned why the rock throwers did what they did—there was no monetary gain to be had from their behavior, and they were evidently not mentally ill. It would have been enlightening to hear their explanations. The justice system should have provided that important information to us all.
Such a shame. I wonder if the thief is mentally ill. Who else would steal this cornucopia of lawn and porch ornaments?
Jason — If you catch them on your video cameras, we’ll be glad to post it on Blogfinger.
What is to be gained from stealing small yard decorations? Is their a criminal marketplace for this sort of stolen property? Stealing a wind chime?
If they come to my house, I will get them on my video cameras.
I had a decorative brass fish taken from my garden. Heck Ave
My beautiful “gazing ball” was taken from front yard this week…sad.
We had a lantern and a wind chime stolen off our porch within the last few days. Second beach block of Heck Ave.
Such a shame, as this has been a much lower crime year to date.
Our car was keyed from front to back sometime this past Saturday night. Significant damage was caused. A police report was filed.