By Charles Layton
Here are the latest crimes in Ocean Grove, as reported on Wednesday by Neptune Township police:
- Someone forced entry into a store on Pilgrim Pathway overnight and stole money and merchandise.
- There were two more reported thefts of house decorations on Clark Avenue. (House and lawn decorations have been disappearing from Ocean Grove homes on a regular basis for many weeks.)
- In the area of Franklin Avenue and Cookman Avenue someone shattered door windows on two vehicles. From one of the vehicles the thief removed I-Pods that were left in plain sight in the center console.
- A resident reported that their front license plate was either lost or stolen. The license plate had the victim’s EZ-Pass attached to it.
Our police liaison, Officer Michael Adam, reminds residents to secure their personal items. Do not leave valuables in plain sight in your car. Report all suspicious behavior to the police immediately via 9-1-1.
Heartbroken on Franklin Avenue.
Hello, My husband & I are also victims of lawn decorations being stolen. We had a beautiful large light-up angel & a manger with porcelain figurines that were over 40 years old displayed out in front of our small home. My husband awoke Thursday morning, Dec. 13th, to find the angel and the porcelain figures gone & the manger destroyed. He woke me up to tell me and I burst into tears. Why would someone want to do that? It feels like a violation in my soul and has robbed a bit of our Christmas Spirit. There were other decorations too, like snowmen and such that were not touched; so I think this may have been a religious matter. I have thought of replacing it, but probably will not. This happened after midnight, as we went to bed at one in the morning and all was still there, so between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. Thursday Dec., the 14th, this was done. We did report it to the police. What a world we live in. It seems to get worse each day.
I’m recalling the young adult rock throwers who repeated their vandalism for months last year. My reaction, at that time, was similar to OhGee. I thought for sure that if the rock throwing was done for fun (by kids), the perpetrators would tire of it. As we learned, the rock throwers carried on for months, and it’s my understanding that the public never got an explanation as to the “why.”
I’m beginning to wonder that too, Lulu. If this was kids you’d think they would of grown tired of this, as its been going on for months. Plus where would juveniles hide away the dozens of items that have been stolen?
Could it be a kleptomaniac? Not to be mean, but there are more than a few resident “people with challenges” wandering our streets…
I don’t think its anti-Christian. Whomever is doing it is probably the same person(s) that have been stealing dozens of garden statues since September all over town.
Gosh I hope it’s not that war on Xmas Fox News keeps talking about.
I really do hate to suggest this but nonetheless I will. It may be anti-Christian theft, vandalism, and sentiment. OG is after all thought to be a Christian town. Hope instead it really is just simple stupid petty juvenile activity.
Back in the 60s in another state, I remember my father going out every night to see how many bulbs had been stolen the night before. He got really mad when they took an entire strand. Juvenile vandalism is not a new trend.
I’m thinking it might be simple juvenile vandalism.
What’s the motivation here? Do we really believe that the criminals who steal these decorations are using them at their own homes? It’s a lot of risk, time and effort to steal something that you can get for very cheap at a store like Target. Somehow it just doen’t make sense to me and I feel like there must be some other motivation.
I live on the corner of Clark and Pennsylvania. I haven’t put up decorations for years because I am too lazy, and no Christmas lights because we don’t have outside electricity. Maybe it’s for the best. I feel bad for these people.
Hello. Greetings from the South Side of town. I unfortunately am writing to report that a couple of days (thats between NY & Penn. Aves) was broken. Completely smashed. Nothing was stolen. Car was not even gone thru in search of valuables. So maybe was either just malicious or smasher got scared and ran away. Was reported to Neptune Police. Sad thing is woman whose car it was had just moved in as her home elsewhere was destroyed by Sandy. Hell of a welcome to OG. ….. Frank on Franklin
The house decorations on Clark were Christmas lights taken right from under our neighbor’s nose just at dusk. Reason number one I did not put lights up this year only to be stolen — no thank you. Everyone must keep a sharp eye out for anyone who looks like they are loitering and who might look like they are staking out the neighborhood. Don’t be afraid to call the police!