Police Promise ‘Increased Vigilance’ Following Arrest

NORTH WILDWOOD – “Something has to be done,” Kathleen Baylis said Jan. 15 as she alerted North Wildwood City Council to the conditions outside and inside the former Woody’s on 18th Avenue.
Baylis, who lives across the street, informed council of trash “piled up” against the building; she also referenced a recent arrest made by North Wildwood Police at the site.
According to Baylis, bottles of liquor are still on the shelves inside the bar.
Owned by the Sawyer family, Woody’s closed in 2014 after years as “one of the legendary bars/corner haunts of the Jersey Shore,” according to Wildwood 365’s website. Since 2014, the property remained vacant but, according to Capt. John Stevenson, is locked and premises secured.
The incident referred to by Baylis occurred Jan. 6 when Officer Joseph Kopetsky “observed a person walk out from behind the former site of Woody’s Café.”
According to a press release, Kopetsky was conducting his patrol at 9:25 a.m. Kopetsky confronted the individual identified as city resident Ralph Otto, 54.
As stated in the release, “Otto reportedly had a laceration on his hand and blood on his clothes.
“Upon investigation, it was found that Otto had allegedly broken into the property and had set a small fire inside that was extinguished before police arrived.”
Stevenson said the laceration in question came from Otto breaking a window in order to gain access.
Otto was charged with arson, burglary, and criminal mischief and was “remanded to the Cape May County Correctional Center on a warrant.”
In response to Baylis’ concerns, Mayor Patrick Rosenello said that Woody’s was in foreclosure; a bank and second mortgage holder have interest in the site.
According to Rosenello, Police Chief Matthew Gallagher had been in contact with the property owner. Rosenello continued that the city “will begin the process” of having the building torn down; however, procedures must be followed and the process may take up to two months.
“We (city) will try to get in there and board up the windows,” Rosenello said.
The Herald contacted Capt. Stevenson Jan. 18, to ask what steps have been taken by police to ensure no further incidents occur.
Stevenson said no calls had been made concerning Woody’s prior to Otto’s arrest, yet residents can rest assured of “increased vigilance” by police.
Stevenson said that code enforcement had also been alerted.
When asked concerning the process of having Woody’s torn down, Rosenello said the process is called “Clean and Lien;” after the site is cleaned, a lien is placed on the property.
Rosenello said the city was seeking to have Woody’s declared an “unsafe structure.”
“We (city) are very aggressive about this,” Rosenello said Jan. 15, referring to the city’s stance on neglected and unsafe properties.
To contact Rachel Rogish, email rrogish@cmcherald.com.