OCEAN TOWNSHIP – Police arrested three individuals in connection with a series of reported thefts of pocketbooks in the parking lot ofWegmans Food Market on Route 35.
On Jan. 25, Ocean Township police learned that the three suspects in the pocketbook theft case were staying in an Asbury Park apartment, according to police reports.
Police arrested and charged Jo Anne Ventresco, 49, of Toms River, Peter E. Bolzau, 49, of Brick and Gloria Alamo, 44, of Toms River, at approximately 8:40 p.m. Jan. 25 as the three accused were exiting the Asbury Park apartment, according to reports.
Upon searching the Dodge Caravan that the three accused had been reportedly driving at the time of the thefts, police found a pocketbook and wallet that belonged to a victim from a theft that occurred in Manchester.
Further investigation by police revealed that Ventresco and Bolzau committed the thefts in theWegmans parking lot on Sept. 9, Jan. 14 and Jan. 17, according to police reports.
It is alleged that Bolzau would drive the Caravan as Ventresco would reach out the passenger-side window and steal the pocketbooks from the shopping carts of unsuspecting victims, according to police reports.
The pair netted cash and credit cards from the thefts, according to reports.
The investigation by police also revealed that Ventresco, Bolzau and Alamo committed similar thefts in Wall Township and Manchester, police said.
The accused allegedly used the credit cards from their victims at various locations in Neptune, Neptune City and Wall Township, according to reports. Ventresco was charged with three
counts of theft and possession
of stolen property. She was
sent to the Monmouth
County Correctional
Institution in Freehold Township, and bail
was set $20,000.
Bolzau was charged
with three counts of conspiracy
to commit theft and he also had active warrants for his arrest from the Monmouth County Superior Court and the Asbury Park Municipal Court, according to reports, which state that Bolzau also was sent to the Monmouth County jail, and his bail was set at $50,000.
Alamo was charged with possessing a hypodermic syringe, which was in her possession at the time of her arrest, according to reports. She also had active warrants for her arrest out of the Monmouth County Sheriff ‘s Office, Neptune Township Municipal Court and Ocean Township Municipal Court, according to reports.
She was also taken to the county jail, and her bail was set at $30,000, according to reports.