Moorestown officers Joshua Graham (left) and Alikhan Bertot (right) were recognized at council’s Aug. 12 meeting for their recent lifesaving efforts. With them is Police Director Patrick J. Reilly.
Moorestown police are out in force to stem an uptick in vehicle thefts and burglaries in the township.
Patrols have been ongoing during overnight hours in all residential areas and include the use of unmarked vehicles. In a letter to the community, Police Director Patrick J. Reilly advised residents to make sure their cars, doors and windows are locked to minimize the risk of theft.
“What I was told last week is, to date, in New Jersey, there have been over 9,000 stolen vehicles this year,” Reilly noted at council’s Aug. 12 meeting. “ … What we’ve asked owners to do is lock your vehicles, make sure your garage doors are shut … It’s very unnerving, I’m not going to deny that.
“Our guys understand that,” he added. “It’s very unnerving to have somebody come into your home (and) take something while you’re sleeping.”
Reilly emphasized that homeowners need to be more cognizant of suspicious activity as well as locking their doors.
“It’s not something that everyone thinks about consistently, but that’s what we’re asking you to do,” he explained, adding that Ring (security camera) footage should be available to police. “Our detectives follow up immediately with these cases … Our guys are active with it.”
But council’s Aug. 12 meeting was also an opportunity to recognize police, with new officers sworn in, other getting promotions and two – Joshua Graham and Alikhan Bertot – cited for their lifesaving efforts earlier this year, when they and officer Michael Toscani responded to a call involving an individual who had suffered a cardiac arrest at the Jeff Young Memorial Park pickleball courts.
“If not for these two individuals and Mr. Toscani, this kid doesn’t make it,” Reilly recounted. “He is doing well and wants to meet with these guys when he is 100 percent… The bottom line is, the training kicks in, these kids showed up, and we have someone that’s alive as a result of their actions.
“Moorestown, we’re transitioning, we’re young, we’re learning,” he added. “These kids are excited about work. They care about what they do … and that’s important for residents in this town to understand.”
Later in the meeting, council moved on with business, including member Sue Mammarella’s mention of two upcoming events. Nonprofit Saving Historic Moorestown will host a house tour from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 25, and Sustainable Moorestown will sponsor a fall EV (electric vehicle) Fest at town hall from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28.
That event will feature electric vehicles of all types and brands on display, both by private owners and local dealers of national brands. Residents can check out vendors in the EV and charging space to learn how to power the future of transportation.
Of the house tour, Mammarella pointed out that there are several homes in Moorestown that go back to the American Revolution.
For more information on the EV event, visit https://sustainablemoorestown.org. For more information on the township house tour, go to https://savinghistoricmoorestown.org.
To view council’s Aug. 12 meeting in its entirety, visit https://www.moorestown.nj.us and click on the live meetings tab.
