A township man is being held on $225,000 bail after police allege that he burglarized five homes in the Gardens of Pleasant Plains over a two-month span.

After an investigation by police, Adam Decroce, 38, was charged with the offenses in addition to one attempted burglary, said Toms River Chief of Police Michael Mastronardy. 

Police zeroed in on Decroce after a Monday incident where a 63-year-old Fox Glove Run woman reported that a white male about 30 years old "was in her bedroom and removed her purse before exiting the home," Mastronardy said. 

A police investigation found that the suspect left on a bicycle; a short time later Officer Graham Borg stopped Decroce on Clayton Avenue while riding a bike, the chief said.

Decroce initially was charged with the single burglary and lodged in the Ocean County Jail on $10,000 with no 10 percent option, but Mastronardy announced the additional charges and $215,000 increase in bail shortly after. 

"This is the 5th similar incident that occurred in the Gardens of Pleasant Plains in the last two months and Detectives Brian Lomer and Louis Santora are working with the sheriff department’s criminalistics unit to determine if Mr. Decroce is responsible for those crimes also," Mastronard said before the additional charges were announced. 

Anyone who may have information regarding the burglaries is asked to contact Lomer at 732-349-0150, ext. 1217, the chief said.