Burglary rate continues to increase in borough

Police sketch of robbery/kidnapping suspect.

RED BANK - Police reports of four separate burglary incidents reflect statistics that show that burglaries are on the increase so far this year in the borough.

Red Bank Police Capt. Stephen Mc- Carthy has cited crime reports for the first nine months of 2007 show the number of burglaries reported in the borough from Jan. 1 to Sept. 30, 2007, was 43, compared to 35 burglaries for the same time period in 2006, an approximately 22 percent increase.

Although the number of burglaries has risen this year from the comparable time period in 2006, the total crime index for the borough in 2007 from Jan. 1 to Sept. 30 has decreased by approximately 14 percent, according to McCarthy.

Oct. 28: Attempted robbery/ aggravated assault

An 18-year-old Red Bank male was the victim of an alleged attempted robbery and aggravated assault Oct. 28 and has a gash across his face as a reminder of the ordeal, according to Red Bank police.

The Locust Avenue resident was approached by two black males while walking toward his house on Shrewsbury Avenue near the intersection of West Westside Avenue, according to an Oct. 30 press release.

One of the suspects punched the male in the face and then demanded money from him, according to police.

The victim responded saying he only had his credit card on him and no cash, so the two suspects brought him to their waiting vehicle, parked on West Westside Avenue near Shrewsbury Avenue, according to police.

The vehicle is described as a fourdoor, dark-colored, medium-sized SUV, according to the press release.

After forcing the male into the car, the suspects drove to a gas station to use the credit card to obtain cash, but found that this was not possible, according to the press release.

During his time in the vehicle the male was cut across the face with a knife by one of the suspects, according to police.

The suspects then drove the male to Sycamore Avenue in Shrewsbury and pushed him out of the car and a local resident was able to call the Shrewsbury police, who then alerted the Red Bank police, according to the press release.

The male was treated for his injuries and then released from Riverview Medical Center, according to the press release.

According to police, the suspects are described as three black males in their early to mid-20s. The first suspect is described as standing anywhere from 5 feet 9 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall with a muscular build and a short beard and was last seen wearing a black hat. The second suspect is described as standing anywhere from 6 feet 1 inch to 6 feet 2 inches in with a muscular build and was last seen wearing a red and black jacket divided with the colors red and black diagonally down the middle. The third suspect is described as standing 6 feet 2 inches.

Oct. 29: Burglary

A 16-year-old homeless boy is the alleged culprit in a string of minor burglaries in the borough recently, according to Red Bank police.

The youth first came onto the radar of police when he was arrested Oct. 22 and charged with criminal trespass for entering a vacant residence on East Bergen Place, according to police.

That same residence was again entered through a broken window in the basement and burglarized on Oct. 29, according to a police press release.

According to the release, an officer was responding to an alleged burglary to an office building across the street where entry was also gained by breaking a basement window. In both cases, small personal items were taken from the buildings.

After police discovered the Oct. 29 burglaries, they contacted the owner of the vacant residence and with the homeowner's cooperation installed an alarm there, according to police.

Later in the day at 11:12 p.m., officers responded to the residence when the alarm was activated by the suspect who was seen fleeing from the residence upon the officers' arrival, according to police.

Police apprehended the suspect, who turned out to be the same 16-year-old homeless youth from a previous incident on Arthur Place after a brief foot chase, according to the press release.

The juvenile is being charged with two counts of burglary and theft, three counts of criminal mischief and one count each of criminal trespass and resisting arrest and was committed to the Monmouth County Youth Detention Center in Freehold.

Nov. 1: Burglary/ theft/criminal mischief/filing a false report

A liquor store employee has been charged with burglary, theft and criminal mischief in relation to a burglary that took place at the Bridge Avenue store where he worked, according to Red Bank police.

While responding to a report of a burglar alarm going off in the store, Red Bank police found David White, the accused employee, in the liquor store on Nov. 1 at 7:19 a.m., according to police.

White said he had been walking by the store when he noticed that the store window was broken and stopped inside, according to police.

Through an investigation at the scene, police discovered a sum of money was taken from the store and White was subsequently arrested and charged for the break in, according to the police press release.

After another subsequent investigation, White was also charged with filing a false police report stemming from another alleged burglary and theft that White himself had reported at his Monmouth Street apartment on Oct. 26, according to police.

White is currently being held at the Monmouth County Correctional Institution and his bail has been set at $14,500, according to the press release.

Nov. 2: Burglary/theft/criminal mischief/ resisting arrest/ obstructing the administrative law/escape

A borough resident who saw his Shrewsbury Avenue apartment being burglarized, leapt into action and chased down the suspect on foot Nov. 2, according to Red Bank police.

The male resident said that he had arrived home around 11:27 a.m. and discovered that the apartment had been broken into and saw the suspect, who was later identified as Jason Czeslaw of Long Branch, run out the door, according to police.

The victim said he also discovered he was missing a sum of money and chased after Czeslaw, 33, when he ran into Red Bank Police Lt. Darren Mc- Connell while on patrol on Monmouth Street, according to police.

McConnell and the victim drove around the borough looking for Czeslaw, according to police.

The two

men encountered Czeslaw at the corner of Oakland Street and Maple Avenue. Upon being approached by McConnell, Czeslaw attempted to run away and discarded a sum of money under the police vehicle, according to police.

After Czeslaw was brought back to Red Bank police headquarters, he was transported to Riverview Medical Center for injuries he said he received during his arrest, according to police.

While being treated at Riverview, Czeslaw fled the building and broke away from police custody, according to police.

Czeslaw was later found and arrested at 4:05 p.m. after being spotted walking on Harrison Avenue by an off-duty officer, according to a police press release.

Czeslaw is currently being held at the Monmouth County Correctional Institution, Freehold Borough, with bail set at $101,000, according to police.

Anyone with further information on the reported cases can contact the Red Bank Police Detective Division at (732) 530-2719. Those with information who wish to remain anonymous, can contact the Red Bank Police Tips Line at (732) 450-9704.

- Melissa Karsh