Toms River Man Charged With Torching His Sandy-Damaged Home

Toms River police recently arrested a Kettle Creek man with and charged him aggravated arson after he apparently set fire to his Sandy-struck home on Bayview Drive, spokesman Ralph Stocco said.

Detective Thomas DiMichele charged Robert Raheb, 54, of Kettle Creek Road with second degree aggravated arson in connection with a March 2 incident that left the home at 643 Bayview Drive totally destroyed.

The fire broke out at the vacant home - which was slated to be demolished - at 1:47 a.m. on March 2. Raheb and his wife Gina owned the home, but were estranged. Gina Raheb was taking care of the rebuilding process while Robert Raheb was temporarily living in Florida, Stocco said.

Raheb then returned to Toms River and became involved in the restoration of the property. But after a six-month investigation, detectives determined that the fire was incendiary and developed evidence that Robert Raheb had intentionally set the blaze, Stocco said.

“There is no indication that his wife or any other family member had knowledge of this crime,” Stocco said. “It is believed that Mr. Raheb acted on his own.”

Raheb was released on $50,000 pending a court appearance, Stocco said.

Ocean County Prosecutors Detective Tom Haskell, Ocean County Sheriffs CIU Officer Scott Frey, Sheriffs K-9 Officer Ted Wielichoski, and Toms River Fire Bureau Inspector Dominick Roselli, assisted in the investigation, Stocco said.