TOMS RIVER – Police said they arrested a local man who broke into a home after the owners had been gone only an hour.
On January 23, a Greenwich Court couple left for about an hour. Upon returning, they realized they had been burglarized. Police Officer Vincent Pedalino responded and found that someone had broken the basement window and entered. It appeared as though the suspect had cut himself upon entering, and left blood behind.
A bottle of vodka and a laptop computer were reported stolen. Additionally, it was observed that the suspect drank the remainder of cough medicine containing hydrocodone. The Ocean County Sheriff’s Department Criminalistics Investigation Unit responded to collect evidence from the house.
The next day, Toms River Detectives Mark Bajada and Pat Jacques developed information that led them to Kevin Laird, 42, of Raleigh Drive in Toms River. Upon speaking with him, he had fresh cuts on his face. Laird attributed the cuts to having been attacked inside his home with a man wielding a pipe, but he did not wish for the police to be involved. Ultimately, the stolen laptop and vodka were found inside Laird’s home. He was charged with burglary and criminal mischief, and released pending a court date.
