Cracking the case: 15 burglaries in a week in these NJ towns

Police in two Ocean County townships have arrested a man they say is responsible for over a dozen burglaries within 7 days.

Christopher Green faces 17 criminal charges in burglaries that occurred in Lakewood and Toms River between March 30 and April 6.

During at least one incident, Green was armed with a handgun, according to Lakewood Police Capt. Gregory Staffordsmith. The charges include first-degree robbery, second-degree armed burglary, conspiracy and multiple weapons-related offenses.

Green was arrested on May 1 and is being held in the Ocean County Jail. Police did not disclose specific incidents connected to Green.

Some of the incidents during that time:

• April 6: Several home robberies were reported on Hope Chapel Road, according to The Lakewood Scoop.

• April 4: A vehicle and home were broken into in the Tallymawr Estates development in Toms River during the early hours

• March 30: Residents of a home on Hundred Oaks Drive in the Walden Woods neighborhood of Toms River woke up to a masked man pointing a gun at them demanding money, according to Toms River police Lt. Gene Bachonski.

• March 30: Thieves stole an entire safe from a Lakewood home on Columbus Avenue early Saturday morning while the residents slept, according to The Lakewood Scoop which reported the safe contained thousands of dollars

Staffordsmith said officers executed search warrants at residences in Toms River and Neptune plus several motor vehicles associated with Green. Four fireamrs were also found including an AR15 and a sub gun.