Two charged in auto thefts at apt. complexes

OCEAN TOWNSHIP — Ocean Township police responded to four separate car thefts from three apartment complexes in the township last week and arrested two men for the crimes.

On Dec. 19 at about 6:10 a.m., officers were dispatched to an apartment in the Continental Gardens apartment complex, where a woman reported that two men had attempted to steal her car.

Patrolmen John Green and Greg Schenck arrived at the location and spoke to the victim, who told the officers that she left her motor vehicle unlocked and running in the parking lot of her apartment building while she retrieved some items from her apartment. While in the apartment, she observed her car being driven away from the lot. She ran to her car and confronted the two males in the car. The two men got out of the car and began to walk away.

As this incident was being investigated, several other reports of stolen cars came into the station.

According to police, between 6:10 a.m. and 6:45 a.m., three people called to report that their vehicles had been stolen. The victims lived in nearby apartment complexes, two were from the West Park Manor Apartments and one from the Twinbrook Apartments. These victims reported that they left their vehicles unlocked, unoccupied and running in the parking lots of their buildings. When they returned to their vehicles, they all found them missing.

One victim from the Twinbrook apartments observed two suspects in his vehicle and advised the police officers. A short time later, Schenck located the two men and they were taken into custody without incident. All four stolen vehicles were recovered.

Based on the on-scene investigations, Michael Garibay, 24, Eatontown, and Joseph Wilson, 18, Long Branch, were each charged with theft of a motor vehicle, conspiracy to commit theft and obstruction of law. Other charges are pending further investigation.

Judge Joel Kriezman of the Ocean Township Municipal Court set bail for each man at $75,000 with no 10 percent option. Both men were lodged in the Monmouth County jail, Freehold Township, in default of bail.