The men stole jewelry and firearms, police said.
MANCHESTER -- A month-long police investigation focusing on a string of burglaries in two senior communities culminated with the arrests of two Berkeley Township men this week, police announced.
During the past month, residents reported 12 burglaries and two burglary attempts in the Leisure Knoll and Leisure Ridge sections of the township, according to the Manchester Township Police Department.
Patrick Frew, 28, of Berkeley Township. A photo for Nicholas Marino, 24, also of Berkeley, was not available. (Ocean County Jail)Police said the alleged burglars would enter the homes during the evening when they were unoccupied. They mostly stole jewelry but also took firearms, police said.
The first arrest was announced by police in a statement sent to news outlets on Friday. In the statement, police said they arrested Nicholas Marino, 24, of Berkeley Township. Detectives had identified him through surveillance video footage and found jewelry and two of the firearms reported stolen in Marino's Bridgeport Place home, police said.
Marino was charged with seven counts of burglary, six counts of theft and one count of possession of receiving stolen property. He was taken to the Ocean County Jail, and bail was set at $90,500 with no 10-percent option.
A day later, police released a second press release announcing the arrest of Patrick Frew, 28, of Berkeley, in connection with senior community burglaries.
Frew was charged with one count of burglary and one count of theft. Police said he may receive additional charges as the investigation continues.
Frew was taken to the Ocean County Jail in lieu of $15,500 bail. He also had an outstanding arrest warrant out of Monmouth County, police said.
The investigation remains ongoing. The Manchester Police Department received assistance from the Ocean County Sheriff's Department's Crime Scene Investigation Unit.
Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.