Pair Charged In Wide-Ranging JCP&L Copper Thefts

A Monmouth County pair have been charged with multiple counts of theft after copper was stolen from several Jersey Central Power and Light substations throughout Monmouth County in recent months, Howell police said.

Jeffrey Simons, 56, of Bry Avenue, Howell, and January Nowitzke, 35, of Mattison Avenue, Asbury Park, have been charged with receiving stolen property in connection with the thefts, Sgt. Eileen Dodd of the Howell Township Police Department said.

Simons and Notitzke are accused of breaking into JCP&L compounds, often by cutting through the fences that surrounded each area. They are accused of stealing bare bright copper, No. 1 copper and No. 2 copper, Dodd said, including grounding wires and grounding straps from standards, and capacitor bank supports.

JCP&L marks its copper to try to deter theft, and also so it can easily be identified if it is stolen, Dodd said. ”These markings helped us discover that January Nowitzke and Jeffrey Simons sold stolen copper belonging to JCP&L on at least seven occasions,” she said.

The thefts occurred in Howell, Freehold Township, Wall, Neptune and Colts Neck, and Dowd said the investigation included Patrick Ridge of JCP&L Asset Protection; Detective Brian Weisbrott of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office; Detective Robert Ortenzi of the Howell Township Police Department; Detective Holihan of the Freehold Township Police Department; Detective Dan Mason of the Wall Township Police Department; Detective Sgt. Paul Santucci of the Colts Neck Police Department and Detective Eric Chunn of the Neptune Township Police Department, Dodd said.

Nowitzke was charged by Howell police with four counts receiving stolen property and one count of theft by deception. She was lodged in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution in lieu of $33,500 bail with no 10 percent option.

Simons was charged by Howell police with one count of receiving stolen property and he was released on a summons.

Other charges may be pending in other towns, Dodd said.