Barnegat Man Charged With Spray Painting Town Property: Police

BARNEGAT, NJ — A Barnegat man has been charged with criminal mischief in connection with graffiti found on township property, police said.

On Sept. 2, the Barnegat Township Police Department announced that officers were investigating derogatory phrases spray painted on signs, bus stops and fences along Route 9, Rose Hill Road and Bengal Boulevard. Police did not describe the content of the graffiti.

Peter Cook, 41, was charged with 14 counts of criminal mischief on Thursday in connection with the incidents and damage totaling $1,100.

Cook was processed and released pending a court date.

The charges were the result of physical and video evidence, according to Police Chief Keith A. Germain.

“We continue to believe that allowing the small problems to fester and go unresolved leads to bigger problems down the road. In this case, Ptl. Armstrong pursued this with tenacity and determination uncovering both physical and video evidence that led to the charges,” Germain said in a statement. “We will not ignore problems here, whether quality of life or otherwise — and there will be consequences for committing offenses in our town.”

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