Crime & Safety
Middletown Man Attempted to Burglarize Fort Monmouth Housing, Police Charge
Man broke fence lock with sledgehammer to gain access, authorities said
A Middletown man faces burglary charges after authorities said he broke into a Fort Monmouth housing complex with the intent to steal copper pipes.
Joseph F. Fahrnbach, 37, of Lakeside Place in Port Monmouth, allegedly used a sledgehammer to smash a perimeter fence lock on base’s Eatontown portion on Nov. 11, according to a criminal complaint filed there by the New Jersey State Police.
Authorities said Fahrnbach forced his way into the mechanical room of an apartment dwelling to steal the copper piping, according to the complaint.
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The damage to the fence lock was less than $500, the complaint states.
In addition to the charges for burglary and possession of burglary tools, Fahrnbach was accused of trespassing and criminal mischief. A notice warning against trespassing was posted and visible to potential intruders, according to the complaint
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Total bail for Fahrnbach was set at $37,500, no 10 percent option, and he remains in custody, according to county department of corrections records.
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