Two Bayville McDonalds Employees Charged with Stealing $3,144 From Restaurant Safe

BAYVILLE, NJ - Berkeley Township police recently arrested two Bayville McDonalds employees for burglary and theft after they walked into the store after closing hours and took money from the restaurant safe, Police Chief Karin T. DiMichele said.

Restaurant management called police at 11:27 a.m. on May 29 and told Patrolman Ptaszenski the bank deposit bags contained $3,144.52. The two employees apparently entered the store after closing and walked right to the safe, opened it with the combination, took the bags and left the store, the chief said.

There was no forced entry to any of the exterior doors or to the safe.

Berkeley Township detectives responded and identified the suspects as McDonalds employees. James Carpenter, 20, and Brandon Baker, 19, both of Ocean Gate, were charged with burglary and theft. Carpenter was taken to the Ocean County Jail in Toms River and Baker was released on a summons in accordance with bail reform, DiMichele said.

Detective Somers and Patrolman Ptaszenski assisted in the investigation.

It's not the first time the Bayville McDonalds made headlines this year.

Berkeley police arrested a Belmont Avenue man in connection with an April 12 assault at the restaurant. Kwasi Mayweather, 31, was charged with one count of disorderly conduct for the physical, altercation.

The April incident began shortly before midnight when two men drove up to the drive-in window, ordered their food and then began to pound on the window because they said the order was incorrect. The manager asked the men if they could return the food the next day, since the restaurant had just closed, and that he would credit them the next day, DiMichele has said.

At that point, the one male threw his bag of food in his face and grabbed him. The manager told police he was punched in the face during the altercation and got his hand slammed in the window while he was trying to close it, the chief has said.
A second McDonald's employee, 21, ran out of a side door to confront them. When he approached one of the males, the man pulled out pulled out a knife and a struggle ensued. The second victim suffered a wrist laceration, she has said.

Both employees were transported to Community Medical Center for treatment. The manager sustained a possible broken wrist, and the second employee received stitches, the chief said.

Image: Patch file photo.