Lakewood, NJ man arrested after stealing from construction site in Jackson, NJ
In the middle of the night, (or early morning), on Sunday Jackson Township Police arrested a Lakewood Township man for looting at a construction site on East Veterans Highway.
Jackson Police said one of their officers was conducting a security check of the site around 3:40 am when he saw a vehicle parked next to a dumpster.
As he approached, backup arrived and two officers saw a man holding several pieces of metal he took from the rental dumpster with other pieces of metal and construction material near his own vehicle.
Police quickly figured out the man was not allowed to be there or taking items from the dumpster and so they asked him to put the items back where he found them in the dumpster because they didn't know if the property owner still needed the items.
They also told the man he would need the property owner's permission to take or buy any construction material anyway.
That's when 26-year old Simcha Labovitz became enraged and allegedly argued with Jackson Police Officers claiming he wasn't doing anything criminal and that he had no intention of putting the stolen items back.
As a way of trying to diffuse the situation, Jackson Police once again tried to encourage Labovitz to call the property owner during the day and even gave him a phone number.
Labovitz wasn't interested and in the midst of ignoring Jackson Police, he called 911 on his cell phone and even told the 911 dispatcher in the Ocean County Radio Room that he did not have permission to be on the property and taking those construction items from the dumpster.
The call was eventually transferred to Jackson Police Headquarters and the on-duty watch commander told Labovitz he wouldn't be arrested if he put the stolen items back where they belonged.
Labovitz still had no desire to do that and reportedly opted to be arrested instead at that point.
Following his arrest, police officers searched him and found a small clear glass pipe with residue on it.
Labovitz was processed and charged with theft and possession of drug paraphernalia and released on a summons, pending a court appearance, but more charges may be on the horizon.