VILLAS — A local 19-year-old was arrested and charged with shoplifting and arson, related to the firebombing of a police Jeep and an officer’s personal truck early on Aug. 8.
At a recent Lower Township Council Meeting, several residents from Alabama Avenue and Main Street in Villas complained of quality of life issues surrounding the Villas Wawa convenience store, specifically juveniles congregating in the parking lot, delivery trucks idling and speeding concerns on side streets in the area.
Lower Township Police Chief Edward Donohue met with several residents during that meeting and ensured them that the police and code enforcement officials would look into their complaints.
On Aug. 7, Donohue instructed officers to place a speed radar trailer and the department’s traffic safety Jeep on Alabama Avenue near the Wawa. Both units are equipped with screens that display a vehicle’s speed.
On Aug. 8 at approximately 2:10 a.m., police officers responded to the report of a car fire on Alabama Avenue.
When officers arrived on scene, they found the department’s traffic safety Jeep had been set on fire.
Officers and detectives reviewed surveillance video from the Wawa. It that showed a white male subject, later identified as Joseph A. Jordan, 19, of 5 Maryland Avenue, purchasing matches from the store shortly before the police Jeep was set on fire.
Jordan was then seen allegedly shoplifting a newspaper before leaving the store.
Officers later found part of that newspaper stuffed in the gas tank of the police Jeep and the remainder of the paper in a trash receptacle at the store.
Investigation on scene determined that someone had poured a flammable liquid onto the hood of the police Jeep. Liquid then ran into the dashboard area of the vehicle and destroyed the interior of the dash area when ignited.
Officers identified Jordan from the surveillance video and at approximately 4:12 a.m. were en route to his home to arrest him for shoplifting when they received a report of an explosion of a motor vehicle on a nearby street.
That vehicle, a pickup truck, belonged to Cpl. Ernest Macomber of Lower Township Police Department. The truck was fully engulfed in flames when police officers arrived on scene.
Villas Fire Department responded to both vehicle fires and quickly extinguished them.
Officers then went to Jordan’s residence and initially arrested him for shoplifting.
Investigators determined that Jordan’s shirt and shoes he was wearing smelled of gasoline. Those clothing items were taken as evidence.
Jordan was interviewed at the Lower Township Police Department and subsequently charged with two counts of second degree arson and shoplifting.
Jordan was remanded to county jail on $100,000 cash bail.
The incidents were investigated by Sgt. Dave Adams, Detective Art Mason, Detective Chris Lambert, members of Squad 2, Lower Township Arson Investigator, Lt. Christopher Winter and the Cape May County Fire Marshal’s Office.
Donohue praised the investigative efforts of the officers and detectives in quickly making an arrest for these serious crimes.
Villas – To the Cape May widow, yes they do I'm one of them taking care of my wife for last 8 yrs with Alzheimer’s and 3 grandchildren and a daughter who is a wonderful woman. I've learned to shop,…
