Man Charged In Inert Grenade Strapped To Pole Near Lakewood Synagogue

LAKEWOOD, NJ — A Lakewood man has been charged in connection with an inert grenade that was strapped to a utility pole near a downtown synagogue in November, Lakewood police said.

Benjamin Gibber, 29, was charged with one count of creating a false public alarm, a third-degree crime, in the Nov. 19 incident, Capt. Gregory Staffordsmith said Friday.

Authorities say the intent was to deter someone from removing a poster that was designed to bring awareness to specific events occurring in the Israel-Hamas war, Staffordsmith said.

The grenade was found strapped to a utility pole near 4th Street and Forest Avenue near the Satmar Bais Medrash synagogue and reported to police about 7:45 a.m., authorities said at the time.

The New Jersey State Police bomb squad responded and determined the grenade was inert and not explosive, authorities said.

"However, its presence created large-scale unrest within the predominately Orthodox Jewish neighborhood," Staffordsmith said.

Lakewood Detective Alex Guzman Jr. through his investigation was able to identify Gibber as a possible suspect, Staffordsmith said, with evidence obtained that connected him to the grenade being strapped to the pole.