More Charges Expected After South Plainfield Parade Canceled

SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ — Monmouth County law enforcement authorities said Tuesday that more charges are expected to be filed against a South Plainfield man who police say was found with "destructive devices" over the holiday weekend, forcing the cancellation of the South Plainfield Labor Day parade. However, the band playing at Donovan's Reef said the suspicious package that was found there Sunday — which started the whole investigation — was just fireworks.

Gov. Phil Murphy and his wife were supposed to march in the parade Monday, but that was canceled after unspecified "destructive devices" were found near the South Plainfield home of Thomas Kaiser, 55, said the Middlesex County prosecutor.

Kaiser was arrested Monday and charged with one count of possession of a destructive device for an unlawful purpose in the second degree and one count of possession of a destructive device in the third degree.

Kaiser's brother maintains that he is innocent, telling 1010 Wins that his brother had merely fireworks, and that this is all an overreaction. Also, the band that was performing at Donovan's Reef in Sea Bright, where the first "destructive device" was found Sunday, confirmed that it was fireworks a fan had brought to their show.

"Last night there was an unfortunate event at one of our favorite venues, Donovan's Reef," the band, Guns 4 Hire, wrote on their Facebook page. "A fan of our band who has been coming to see us for many years and who always brings us gifts (lights, backdrop banner, etc.) made an error in judgement and brought fireworks to the show. Unfortunately, these fireworks were left behind around the stage area after a great night at the venue. This set off the evacuation of Donovan's Reef when the item was found by the staff. We were contacted by authorities and were forthcoming with what information we knew and cooperated completely."

"It's ridiculous the way people are shooting from the hip and falsifying stories," Kaiser's brother told 1010 Wins. "Everything is being falsified from a little piece of news. It's one firework. I know they're illegal in the sate of New Jersey. He knows they're illegal in the state of New Jersey. But it's a firework. It's not a bomb."

Kaiser's home in South Plainfield was searched after a suspicious package was initially found at Donovan's Reef in Sea Bright on Sunday. That package contained a "destructive device," said police. That led Sea Bright police and the Monmouth County Prosecutor's office led to Kaiser's residence in South Plainfield, where they "learned that there were other destructive devices near his home."

Because Kaiser's home is near the parade route, it was canceled "out of an abundance of caution," said the Middlesex County prosecutor's office. Police never said Murphy or his wife were at risk.

Initial Patch report: Arrest After Explosives Cancel NJ Labor Day Parade, Murphy Visit