Vandalism Reported Around Basking Ridge Over July 4 Weekend

Bernards Township Police reported several incidents of vandalism and criminal mischief over the extended Independence Day weekend, ranging from broken windows to damaged mailboxes on North and South Maple Avenue, and including extensive damage at one North Maple Avenue home.

Police Lt. Michael Voorhees said that 35 mailboxes along North and South Maple avenue were reported to have been vandalized overnight on July 7.

On the same night, at about 4:30 a.m, police said a North Maple Avenue resident called police as his home was being vandalized. Police said the resident reported a broken fence, along with an arbor containing a mailbox. Items on a patio also were thrown into the pool, according to the police report.

An eyewitness told police that a small, dark car with Virginia license plates was seen leaving the area, Voorhees said.

On the same night, a statue was knocked over, although not damaged, at St. James Church on South Finley Avenue, he said.

At around the same time, some tables were reportedly flipped over at Crane Farm on South Maple Avenue, damaging some produce, Voorhees said.

Police also received a report of a broken screen and damaged window, along with an open sliding door, at a home on Charlestown Court in The Hills, Voorhees said. The damage apparently occurred overnight between July 4 and 10 a.m. on July 5, he said. 

The window of a 2013 Honda wagon parked on Dorchester Drive in The Hills also was reportedly smashed some time between 10 p.m. on July 3, and 9 a.m. the next day, Voorhees said. A portable bathroom also was overturned on that road some time around Independence Day, he said.