Cops: Toms River Resident Detained Car Burglar Until Police Arrived

A suspected car burglar detained by the vehicle's owner had a less-than-believable excuse, according to Toms River police: he had hoped to take a snooze in the vehicle.

Toms River Patrol Officer James Carey initially went to the 1400 block of Colorado Avenue at 3:20 a.m. Monday for a report of a man screaming for help. When he got there, he found a 56-year-old township man who told the officer he was taking his dog for a late-night walk when he noticed a light on inside his parked car.

When the man approached his car, police spokesman Ralph Stocco said, the man found William Saal, 28, of Morris Boulevard in Toms River, searching through his car.

"The homeowner detained Mr. Saal inside of the car until officers arrived," Stocco said.

Saal, Stocco said, told police officers that he was "only looking for a place to sleep," but as the officers investigated, they found property that was previously inside of the car, located in Saal's pockets.

Officers retrieved a Dunkin' Donuts gift card, two dollar bills, two dollars in pennies, three NJ Lottery tickets, and two small bottles of maple syrup, said Stocco.

Also recovered from Saal was an additional eleven dollars in change that he had tied up in an athletic sock as well as small items from other unknown owners. 

"Mr. Saal denied ownership of this additional property but could not explain how they came to be in his pockets," Stocco said.

Saal was charged with possession of burglary tools, burglary and theft.  He is being held in the Ocean County Jail on $20,000 bail.