On Aug. 25, the Mt. Laurel Police Department conducted a prostitution sting in the hotel /motel district of Mt. Laurel Township resulting in the arrest of five individuals.
The primary objectives of this operation were to put everyone within the prostitution industry at enhanced risk of identification, apprehension and prosecution, to deter all prostitution related offenses and activities from the hotel/motel district of the township, and to apprehend the patrons of prostitutes and prostitutes with the goal of reducing the ancillary crimes associated with this type of activity.
The ancillary crimes associated with prostitution range from petty theft and narcotics offenses to robbery, sexual assault and human trafficking.
The Mt. Laurel Police Department has partnered with area businesses to address the crimes that affect the quality of life for all of those who reside in, do business in, and visit Mt. Laurel. These operations will continue until criminal prostitution organizations are eradicated from the township.
The following individuals were arrested during the operation. All were charged with Engaging in Prostitution and released pending a court hearing: a female, age 20, of Mantua, a female, age 27, of Mantua, a female, age 28, of Saint George, Utah, a male, age 54, of Mullica Hill and a male, age 60, of Pennington.
At 6:42 p.m. on Aug. 24, Mt. Laurel Police responded to a hotel on the 1100 block of Route 73 for a customer dispute. During the investigation officers arrested a female, age 30, of West Grove, Pa. She was wanted out of Coatesville, Pa. for drug charges. She was charged with being a fugitive from justice with bail set at $5,000, no 10 percent option. She was committed to the Burlington County Jail.
Between Aug. 23 and Aug. 24, someone broke windows and damaged a door of two businesses on the 100 block of West Park Drive.
At 4:34 a.m. on Aug. 24, Mt. Laurel Police responded to Centerton Road near Crow’s Nest Court for a disturbance. As a result of the investigation officers arrested a female, age 22, of Merchantville. She was charged with possession of heroin and possession of prescription drugs without a prescription. She was released pending a court hearing.
At 8:28 p.m. on Aug. 23, Mt. Laurel Police responded to the parking lot of 720 S. Church Street for a suspicious person report. Officers found a male, age 37, of Maple Shade sitting in a vehicle that didn’t belong to him. He appeared to be under the influence of an intoxicating substance. It was also discovered that he shoplifted $14.87 worth of merchandise from the Wawa. The male was charged with shoplifting and released pending a court hearing.
On July 17, a resident reported that they were a victim of credit card fraud. The investigation revealed that a male, age 35, of Mt. Laurel, made numerous fraudulent transactions over the course of totaling over $13,000. He was charged with credit card fraud, impersonation, theft by deception and theft of credit cards. Bail was set at $50,000 with no 10 percent option. He was served the charges on Aug. 23 at the Burlington County Jail where he was being held on unrelated charges.
At 1:27 p.m. on Aug. 23, Mt. Laurel Police responded to the Shoprite on Nixon Drive for a shoplifting complaint. During the investigation officers arrested a female, age 43, of Moorestown, for stealing $92.29 worth of merchandise. She was charged with shoplifting and released pending a court hearing.
At 12:14 a.m. on Aug. 23, Mt. Laurel Police conducted a motor vehicle stop on Arbor Way near Atrium Way. During the stop officers arrested a male, age 44, of Camden. He was charged with possession of less than 50 grams of marijuana and released pending a court hearing.
At 5:41 p.m. on Aug. 22, Mt. Laurel Police conducted a motor vehicle stop on Route 73 near Clover Road. During the stop officers arrested a male, age 44, of Hammonton. He was charged with possession of less than 50 grams of marijuana and released pending a court hearing.
Between Aug. 18 and Aug. 19 someone stole money and gift cards from an unlocked vehicle parked in the driveway of a residence on the 700 block of Grant Avenue.
At 10:40 p.m. on Aug. 20, Mt. Laurel Police conducted a motor vehicle stop on Ramblewood Parkway near Route 73. During the stop officers arrested a male, age 58, of Evesham. He was charged with driving while intoxicated and released pending a court hearing.
On Aug. 20 between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. a Fuji bicycle was stolen from the rear yard of a residence on the 300 block of Coral Avenue.
On Aug. 20 someone used a drill to break into two vending machines at the Wyndham Hotel and steal an undetermined amount of cash.
On Aug. 19 at 10:29 p.m. Mt. Laurel Police conducted a motor vehicle stop on Crow’s Nest Court near Centerton Road. During the stop officers arrested a male, age 18, Evesham. He was charged with possession of less than 50 grams of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was released pending a court hearing.
Between Aug. 18 and Aug. 19 someone forced open the door of the concessions stand at the baseball fields of Laurel Acres Park. The doorframe was broken but nothing was reported stolen.
