Police: Man Stole from Contractor Repairing Sandy-Damaged Home

A township man was jailed after being charged with stealing $10,000 worth of property from a contractor working to restore his Silver Beach home. 

The materials, reported stolen from a Superstorm Sandy-stricken Boatsman Road home on Monday night, allegedly were found in the truck of Eric Scharff, 22, of Second Avenue, according to Toms River Chief of Police Michael Mastronardy. 

Police were on a proactive anti-looting patrol on the barrier island when they arrested and charged Scharff just after midnight for burglary and theft, the chief said.

Officers initially wanted to stop Scharff, who was driving a 2005 grey Ford pick-up truck on Route 35, but later found his unattended truck parked on Nichols Avenue in Ortley Beach. Scharff was located near the Starlight Hotel by Officers Tim Sysol and Al Dellabella and initially arrested on a $250 warrant out of Tinton Falls, Mastronardy said. 

Upon further investigation by police, including Detective John Turner and Cpl. Kevin OMelia, the over $10,000 of property reported stolen from the Boatsman Road residence — three ladders, new copper coils, copper pipe, a freon scale and an HVAC gauge set — was recovered from Scharff's truck, Mastronardy said. 

The items were returned to the owner and Scharff was taken to the Ocean County Jail in Toms River on $30,000 bail with no 10 percent option on burglary and theft charges, according to the chief. 

"The Toms River Police Department along with Troopers from New Jersey State Police continue to conduct proactive patrols on the beach and mainland areas of the township that are rebuilding from Sandy," Mastronardy said.