Retired Middletown Cop Stole Political Campaign Signs, Police Say

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — A retired Middletown police officer has been charged with stealing political campaign signs related to the upcoming Board of Education and Township Committee elections, Middletown police announced Monday.

Irvin Beaver, 73, of Middletown, was arrested and charged yesterday, Sunday, Oct. 14, for the theft of the political signs.

Middletown police said they have been investigating who has been stealing "hundreds" of signs related to the Township Committee, Middletown Board of Education and other political offices. "The thefts have resulted in the loss of hundreds of signs, which is a significant increase over what has been seen in years past," Middletown police said in a statement.

MoreMonmouth Musings is reporting Beaver is an active Democratic volunteer in the area and that the signs he took were Republican party signs, or Board of Education candidates the Middletown Democratic organization opposes. He is a retired Middletown police officer, having retired at the age of 44, and a Monmouth County Democratic Committeeman.

Middletown police said they stepped up patrols in areas where the signs were being taken. It was on one of their patrols that police said they observed Beaver in the act of the stealing the signs. Beaver was observed taking the signs, placing them in his vehicle, and leaving the scene, police said. He was stopped by police on Cherry Tree Farm Road near the intersection with Chanowich Court and placed under arrest.

Beaver was charged with two counts of theft and released on a summons complaint pending an appearance in municipal court.

Photo of the Middletown Twp. building by Carly Baldwin/Patch