Cops: Money, Car Keys Stolen From Girlfriend Held Against Her Will

A Belmar man has been arrested and charged with various offenses after allegedly keeping his girlfriend against her will inside her East Hanover home, cutting her phone lines, stealing her car keys, and withdrawing money from her bank account, police said.

Police responded to a Troy Road residence at 2:18 a.m. Tuesday for a report of a woman whose boyfriend stole money, Sgt. Jack Ambrose said.

A few hours earlier, the woman’s boyfriend, Stephen Buck, 49, of Belmar, had arrived at the house and the two engaged in a dispute, Ambrose said. Overnight and into the morning hours, Buck allegedly damaged the home and cut the phone lines from the house, Ambrose said.

Then Buck allegedly took the woman’s car keys and bankcard and fled the house on foot, Ambrose said. Buck was then seen at a Dunkin’ Donuts a few miles up the road, Ambrose said, where he gave the car keys to a customer waiting for the store to open and said they belonged to his daughter, and that she would “be looking for them,” Ambrose said.

Somewhere in between, Buck withdrew $700 from the victim’s bank account, Ambrose said.

Buck then walked across the Eagle Rock Avenue Bi-County Bridge, which is closed under construction before he was located a short time later in Roseland, Ambrose said.

Buck was arrested and charged with third-degree theft of moveable property, fourth-degree criminal mischief, and false imprisonment. Bail was set at $22,500 with no 10-percent option.

Pictured: Stephen Buck. Photo Courtesy East Hanover Township Police.

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