The Lakewood Police Department would like to announce that a man has been charged in connection with the November 19, 2023 discovery of an explosive device that was affixed to a utility pole.
On November 19, 2023 Officers responded to the corner of 4th Street and Forest Avenue after receiving information that a green grenade was strapped to a utility pole. The perimeter was established and the New Jersey State Police Bomb Unit responded. After extraction, it was determined that the device was inert, however its presence created large scale unrest within the predominately Orthodox Jewish neighborhood.
Further investigation by Det. Alex Guzman Jr. identified a 29-year-old Lakewood resident as a possible suspect. Subsequent evidence obtained, revealed that the suspect did place the device on the utility pole with the intent to deter someone from removing a poster that was designed to bring awareness to specific events occurring in the Israel-Hamas war.
As a result, he was charged Creating a False Public Alarm. If, convicted it is a Third Degree crime.
