Marlboro Police Criticized After Burglary Suspects Escape

MARLBORO, NJ — Marlboro officials say township police responded appropriately when they thwarted a pair of burglaries that happened in Marlboro last week.

Marlboro Mayor Jonathan Hornik and Police Chief Peter Pezzullo issued a joint statement on Monday regarding the incidents and concerns expressed about police response.

While both burglary attempts were unsuccessful, Hornik and Pezzullo said one person was arrested on Sept. 5 after they were found to be casing out a neighborhood and interfering with police investigation.

Footage of an attempted Marlboro burglary incident was posted to Facebook on Sept. 5.

In the video, people can be seen running to get into a car and being followed by police before both vehicles disappear from view. Comments on the video question whether police let the suspects get away.

An internal review conducted by Marlboro Police found that the responding officer complied with the appropriate policies and procedures, the statement from Hornik and Pezzullo said.

According to the statement, the officer confirmed it was the suspects’ vehicle before acting, called for backup and "safely and responsibly" pursued the vehicle. The pursuit reached speeds exceeding 100 mph, the statement said.

"Shooting out an alleged perpetrator’s tires or ramming vehicles, suggested by some on-line, are illegal in this State," the statement said.

Marlboro Police Captain Stephen Levy declined to provide further information about either of the incidents.

“Fortunately, our police officers were able to thwart these burglary attempts,” the statement said. “The perpetrators were unsuccessful and that means our department is doing its job.”

Hornik and Pezzullo encouraged residents to report any suspicious activity they may see. Marlboro Police can be reached at 732-536-0100.

Read Hornik and Pezzullo's full statement:

Dear Resident,

As you may have heard, there were two separate burglary attempts in our town last week. I am pleased to report that both attempts were unsuccessful, and on Thursday morning, our hard-working officers apprehended an individual found to be casing out a neighborhood and interfering with an investigation.

First, some background. Our police officers and those in every other town in New Jersey operate within a legal framework set by the State. The rules governing use of force and police pursuits, for example, are specifically memorialized in the Attorney General’s Guidelines (njoag.gov) .

It is widely recognized that the number of auto thefts spiked statewide during the pandemic. While here at the local level we have instituted a number of initiatives (HERE) to help stem the impact of this problem, and with some success, we have been very vocal that more must be done at the State level to impose real consequences on bad actors, whether young and old. Giving anyone a free pass on committing a crime is bad policy, setting a terrible example for society at large, at great expense to the health, safety and well-being of law-abiding citizens in our communities.

It is in this context that we address some of the on-line chatter in response to a video posted of one of this last week’s incidents. Some may not be versed in police policies and procedures, nor on some aspects of the police response which were not captured on the video.

An extensive review of last week’s incidents were conducted by the Police Chief and Command Staff the very same day they took place. It was found that the responding officer correctly confirmed that the vehicle he approached belonged to the suspects before acting, properly called for back-up, and safely and responsibly initiated pursuit (incidentally reaching speeds in excess of 100 mph), all in accord with applicable policies and procedures. Shooting out an alleged perpetrator’s tires or ramming vehicles, suggested by some on-line, are illegal in this State.

Fortunately, our police officers were able to thwart these burglary attempts. The perpetrators were unsuccessful and that means our department is doing its job. Through the good work of our police and engagement of our residents, Marlboro has experienced an 80+% reduction in property crimes from a year ago, outpacing the drop in property crime statewide. I thank our residents for remaining vigilant and continuing to serve as the eyes and ears of the brave men and women who protect and serve our community.

As a reminder, ‘See Something. Say Something. We Will Do Something.’ If you see someone or something suspicious or out of place, do not hesitate. Call the police at 732-536-0100. For crimes in progress dial 911.

Sincerely,
Mayor Jonathan L. Hornik
Chief Peter J. Pezzullo