JACKSON — Police are lauding the observant nature of a Jackson resident after a call to authorities resulted in the arrest of two individuals believed to have been involved in a residential burglary.
At about 1:15 p.m. Sept. 11, police received a call from a resident who claimed to have seen an unknown man in the backyard of a house on Leesville Road. The caller knew the house was empty at the time the man was seen in the backyard.
Shortly after seeing that person in the backyard, the caller saw the man walk into a wooded area at the edge of the backyard, police said.
When officers responded to the scene, they reportedly found evidence that someone had tried to enter the home from a back entrance. The officers began a search of the surrounding area after receiving a physical description of the man in question.
Police subsequently arrested Gary Hall, 52, whose last known address is Toms River, while he was talking to a resident in a nearby neighborhood.
An Ocean County Sheriff’s Department K-9 officer tracked Hall from the backyard of the home on Leesville Road to the location where he was apprehended.
Hall was charged with attempted burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary and criminal mischief.
Police said Hall’s wife, Geraldine Hall, 50, whose last known address is Ocean Gate, was taken into custody after she was found driving a vehicle believed to have been connected to the incident.
She was charged with attempted burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary and hindering apprehension after giving police a false name, according to authorities.
Bail for each individual was set at $35,000 with no 10 percent option and they were placed in the Ocean County Jail, Toms River.
Police are continuing to remind residents to lock all doors and windows on their homes and vehicles. Police are asking residents to remain vigilant at all times and to report any suspicious activity.