POINT PLEASANT BEACH – A suspected car thief crashed his own vehicle into a police car while attempting to elude officers. Meanwhile, his alleged accomplice crashed into parked vehicles.
These incidents happened in the early morning hours of July 30, according to Point Pleasant Beach police. Officers Bryan Benites and David Marchetti were patrolling an area of town that had been victim to motor vehicle thefts recently. They saw two vehicles driving on Woodland Avenue very slowly. When Marchetti pointed a spot light on one of them, both vehicles sped away.
Benites, joined by Officer Tyler Zukowitz, pursued the two vehicles through Bay Head and into Mantoloking. One vehicle struck a Mantoloking police cruiser. The other struck parked cars on Lagoon Lane in Mantoloking. The police cruiser was heavily damaged but the officer was uninjured.
The four suspects fled on foot but were caught:
Isaiah Seabrooks, 20, from East Orange, charged with three counts of Theft, three counts of Burglary, Conspiracy to commit theft, Aggravated Assault, and Eluding.
Quadir Brown, 20, from Newark, charged with three counts of Theft, three counts of Burglary, and Conspiracy to commit theft.
Jamal Walker, 22, from Newark, charged with three counts of Theft, three counts of Burglary, and Conspiracy to commit theft.
Joseph Amos Jr., 23, from Newark, charged with three counts of Theft, three counts of Burglary, Conspiracy to commit theft, and Providing False Information to Law Enforcement.
All four suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
During the course of this investigation, led by Detective Andrew Meany, officers determined that the four subjects traveled from Newark, NJ with the intent to commit motor vehicle thefts. A total of three stolen vehicles have been recovered by this Department in the area that officers initially encountered the subjects.
Anyone with further information about vehicle thefts in the area are encouraged to contact Point Pleasant Beach Police Detective Andrew Meany or Detective Derek O’Neill @ 732-892-0500.
The police are also urging that people lock their doors and don’t leave their key fobs in their cars. This made it easy for criminals to steal the cars.
The Police Department is reminding residents and visitors to:
• Always lock your vehicles, even when driving
• Never leave your keys or key fob in the car
• Close all the windows and the sunroof when parked
• Do not leave items of value in plain view in the vehicle
• Never leave your car running and unattended
• Park your car in well-lit areas, use motion lights whenever possible
Chief Joseph Michigan stated, “I am very proud of the hard work, dedication, and professionalism exhibited by all officers involved in this incident. Four subjects with extensive criminal histories were apprehended quickly by our officers. Let this message serve as a reminder to anyone who decides to come to this area to commit a crime.”
