Police Blotter: Break-in At Ortley Plaza

Multiple suspects broke into a chinese food restaurant, stole the tip jar there, and tried to break into the adjacent liquor store but tripped the alarm and fled, police said.

Toms River Police Corporal Paul Kaminski is investigating the burglary of No. 1 Chinese Restaurant in the Ortley Plaza. Chief Michael Mastronardy said two unknown subjects pried open a rear door and removed the tip jar and coin that was left in the register drawer of the restaurant, which is in the same plaza as A&P in Ortley Beach on Route 35. 

Mastronardy said police are reviewing security cameras, which show the possible suspects near the rear of the restaurant just after 6 a.m. Tuesday morning. He said they attempted to pry open the rear door of the Spirits Unlimited in the plaza, leaving after they set off the alarm system.

Man Charged With Stealing Prescription Pads from Lakehurst Road Office 

Toms River Police arrested Bryan Keller, 27, of Main Street after an investigation into a theft at a medical office reported over the weekend.

Police said multiple prescription pads were stolen from a doctor’s office on Lakehurst Road. 

After making entry through a window, the suspect took about $50 in cash, along with five prescription pads, Mastronardy said.  Assisting Officer Lauria in the investigation is Ocean County Sheriffs Officer Senger of the criminalistics unit. Officer Dennis Mansfield, Detective Marc Bajada and Beachwood Detcetive Sergean Glen Demarco investigated the theft and charged Keller with theft and burglary. He was placed in Ocean County Jail on $10,000 bail, no 10 percent option.

Domino Effect in Rear Collision on Bay Avenue 

Police responded to a four vehicle crash on Bay Avenue near Linda Drive just after 9 p.m. Sunday. All four cars sustained heavy damage and had to be towed from the scene, after the initial crash caused a chain reaction, where each vehicle collided with the next.

Kate Benedetti, 27, of Cayman Avenue in Shelter Cove was eastbound on Bay Avenue when she was adjusting the heat in a 2007 Toyota and left the roadway and struck a parked 2008 Mazda, Mastronardy said.

That Mazda then was forced into the rear of a 2002 Mazda, which then struck the rear of a 1986 Honda Accord, said the police chief. There were no injuries in the accident that severely damaged all four vehicles that had to be towed from the scene.

Benedetti was issued a summons for careless driving by investigating Traffic Safety Officer Robert Westfall.