Man Accused Of Shoplifting $9.99 Item Had Warrant, Too: Lacey PD

LACEY, NJ — Lacey Township Police Chief Michael Dibella released the following incidents that police responded to from Nov. 23 through Nov. 29.

The incidents included arrests on charges of shoplifting, driving while impaired and outstanding warrants.

NOV. 29: Officers Scott Keefe and Julie Barcalow responded to Walmart, 580 Route 9 North, at 6:52 p.m. in reference to a shoplifter in custody. Graham Luepke, 32, of Maple Avenue in Toms River was arrested on a charge of shoplifting $9.99 worth of merchandise. He was also found to have an outstanding warrant out of Barnegat Township for $475. He was released on a criminal summons for the shoplifting charge and paid the bail on the outstanding warrant.

NOV. 28: Officer Noah Schaffer responded to the 300 block of Constitution Drive at 11:22 a.m. for a report from a homeowner that someone spraypainted a section of his white vinyl fence with "Truss 357" causing approximately $200 in damage.

NOV. 27: Officer Brian Holt responded to police headquarters at 4:34 p.m. to process Jeffrey C. Stiles, 30, of Serpentine Drive in Bayville, on an outstanding warrant out of Lacey Township Municipal Court for $600. Stiles posted the full bail and was processed and released.

NOV. 27: Officer Michael Hutman responded to police headquarters at 8:20 a.m. to process John V. Lepeshko, 30, of Serpentine Drive, Forked River, on two outstanding warrants. One was out of South Toms River Municipal Court for $1,000 and the second was out of Middletown Township Municipal Court for $750. Lepeshko posted the full bail and was processed and released.

NOV. 26: Officers Andrew Slota and Michael Hutman responded to Penn Place at 2 p.m. for a report of a residential burglary. The victim said she returned to her home at about 1 p.m. and went into her home office, where she found her Lenovo 520 Pentium computer tower was missing. Nothing else appeared to be missing from the residence. The computer is valued at $529.

NOV. 25: Officer Jason Lee responded to the 200 block of Sinclair Avenue in Lanoka Harbor at 10:35 p.m. for a complaint of loud music coming from the garage. The homeowner was advised to turn the music down. Shortly thereafter, another noise complaint was called in. Officer Lee went back to the residence and issued a special complaint for violating the noise ordinance to the homeowner.

NOV. 25: Officer Jason Lee responded to Walmart, 580 Route 9 North, Lanoka Harbor at 4:57 p.m. for a shoplifter in custody. The suspect, Joshua Rivera 32, of Forked River, had merchandise worth approximately $116 concealed in a backpack while attempting to leave the store. Rivera was taken to police headquarters and charged with shoplifting and released on a summons.

NOV. 25: Officer Noah Schaffer was dispatched to Oxford Road at 6:18 a.m. for a power outage and wires down. He found wires were down on the ground and power was out all along the street. JCP&L was contacted and the road was blocked until repairs were made.

NOV. 25: Officers Martin Julian and Christopher Meyler responded to Hilltop Drive in Lanoka Harbor at 3:24 a.m. for a motor vehicle accident. Investigation at the scene led to the arrest of Filiberto Sacramento, 30, of Pheasant Drive in Bayville on a charge of driving while intoxicated. Sacramento was taken to police headquarters and received motor vehicle summonses for driving while intoxicated, reckless driving, and failure to maintain lane. The vehicle he was driving was impounded pursuant to John’s Law.

NOV. 25: Officer Martin Julian was dispatched to Nautilus Boulevard at 12:43 a.m. for a transformer sparking. He found wires were down on the ground and the transformer was smoking. Forked River Fire Company and JCP&L were contacted and the road was blocked until repairs were made.

NOV. 24: Officer Scott Keefe pulled over a motor vehicle on Route 9 North in Lanoka Harbor at 12:23 a.m. Officer Julie Barcalow arrived to assist. Investigation at the scene led to the arrest of both passengers on outstanding warrants. Chelsea N. Damico, 24, of Devon Lane in Hainesport, NJ, had two warrants out of Moorestown totaling $2,600. She was processed and released on her own recognizance. Joseph T. Hayden, 21, of Monroe Street in Mount Holly, had a no-bail warrant out of Delaware County, PA. Hayden was taken to the Ocean County jail. The driver of the vehicle was issued motor vehicle summonses for maintenance of lamps and unregistered vehicle.

NOV. 23: Police were notified at 11:12 p.m. that a large amount of water was coming out of the curb near the 1100 block of Skiffway Drive. Lacey MUA was notified and the water was turned off until the damage could be repaired.

NOV. 23: Officer Scott Keefe responded to the 600 block of Lake Barnegat Drive North in Forked River at 8:35 p.m. for a report of an oven fire. The Lanoka Harbor Fire Department was on scene. The fire was contained within the oven and no other property was damaged. The fire department deemed the residence safe after airing out the home.

NOV. 23: Officer Randolph Plis responded to the 1200 block of Laurel Boulevard in Lanoka Harbor at 5:21 p.m. for a smell of natural gas inside the residence. The Lanoka Harbor Fire Department was on scene, and NJ Natural Gas personnel arrived and inspected the home. The gas company deemed the residence and surrounding area safe.

NOV. 23: Officer Randolph Plis took a report of credit card fraud. The victim reported that his TD Bank debit card was hacked. He reported he used the card to make a purchase at the Wawa on Lacey Road for $25. Later that night, the man noticed that two other purchases of $100 were made at a Wawa in Woodbridge Township. He reported the fraud to TD Bank who advised him to make a police report. The case remains under investigation.

Photo via Lacey Township Police