LAKEWOOD, NJ – The Lakewood Police Department was dispatched to Maggie’s Bar at 145 County Club Drive following a burglary report on Sunday, April 7th. An early morning 911 call alerted authorities to a male suspect causing significant property damage.
Around 10:00 AM, a bar employee reported an unidentified male inside the premises vandalizing furniture, equipment, and inventory.
“We will be opening our Tiki bar & Uptown bar tomorrow! Due to a hate crime in the early hours of Sunday morning, we remained closed for the last two days,” the bar said. “Maggie’s was vandalized, many irreplaceable items were deliberately broken and there was damage to our furniture, fixtures and equipment. This was intentionally done, the suspect swiftly made his way thru all areas of the building and was calculated in his destruction. We take pride in welcoming a diverse crowd into our fun, friendly, and family-orientated bar/restaurant. This type of behavior with the intent to destroy one of the last remaining local bars in the Jackson/Lakewood area will not be tolerated.”
The Lakewood Police Department said the incident is not being investigated; instead, they believe it was a mental crisis by a man who needed psychiatric evaluation.
Police arrived to find a 29-year-old local man naked and in a state of emotional turmoil. Sgt. John Macerino managed the situation with calm, resulting in the man’s peaceful arrest.
Officer Leticia Diaz has charged the individual with burglary, theft, and criminal mischief, following the incident which resulted in an estimated $100,000 in damages. Instead of jail, the suspect was taken to a hospital for psychological evaluation and care.
Photos by Maggies Bar,