Police: Construction Workers Stole Copper from Sandy-Damaged Home

Construction workers were charged Wednesday with stealing copper piping from an unoccupied Superstorm Sandy-damaged home.

A neighbor alerted police to what appeared to be a theft on Bayview Drive at 11 a.m. Wednesday, said Toms River Chief of Police Michael Mastronardy. 

“The witness told police that the suspects were in a black Honda and one entered the house and removed copper pipe,” Mastronardy said in a statement.

A short time later, Cpl. Kevin O’melia made a motor vehicle stop and found the car’s back seat was folded down. A 6 foot piece of copper pipe went from the dash to the trunk, and other small pieces of pipe were on the floor, Mastronardy said.

After an investigation, O’melia and Cpl. Louis Sulsenti arrested Zachary Steng, 22, of Woodbridge’s Avenel section for burglary. His bail set at $10,000 no 10 percent option, Mastronardy said.

Vincent Calabrese, 19, also of Avenel, and Brian Merkel, 19, of, Cranford were charged with conspiracy to commit burglary. Their bail set at $10,000 with 10 percent option, according to the chief.

The three suspects were working for an unspecified construction company in the area of Swordfish Way in Ocean Beach when the burglary and theft occurred, according to Mastronardy.