BRICK TOWNSHIP, NEW JERSEY — A Berkeley Township man has been charged with more than 230 criminal offenses following a months-long investigation into a widespread burglary operation that targeted commercial storage facilities and businesses across Ocean and Monmouth Counties, police said Saturday.
Craig T. Orler has been identified as the primary suspect in more than 40 burglaries that occurred between December 2024 and January 2025 at the Cube Smart storage facility off Route 70 in Brick Township. He faces charges including burglary, theft, criminal mischief, fencing, and receiving stolen property.
According to the Brick Township Police Department, Orler allegedly cut through perimeter fencing and used bolt cutters to access storage units, stealing a range of items including an ATV, motorcycle, car engine parts, and personal belongings. Investigators tracked the sale of stolen goods to a residence on Mallard Road in Berkeley Township.
Police executed a court-authorized search warrant at the home with support from Manchester, Berkeley, and Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office personnel. Officers recovered the stolen ATV, motorcycle, and other property during the operation.
Craig Orler and Melissa Orler were both arrested at the scene and charged with receiving stolen property. Detectives later executed an additional arrest warrant on April 28, confirming Craig Orler’s role as the key suspect behind the series of burglaries.
Suspect linked to multiple township thefts across Ocean and Monmouth
In Manchester Township, Orler is connected to two separate burglaries. On October 27, 2024, police responded to Tri-State Vending on Route 539, where a break-in resulted in the theft of $4,000 in cash, vending machine keys, and merchandise. Surveillance footage and evidence from Orler’s vehicle linked him to the crime.
On November 13, 2024, a burglary occurred at Te-Amo’s Smoke Shop, where $5,634.83 in tobacco and vape products and a $2,440 ATM were stolen. Orler was subsequently charged with receiving stolen property in that incident.
Authorities also tied Orler to additional business burglaries in Howell Township, including at I-Storage (April 21, 2025), Gorilla Vapes (December 8, 2024), The Guitar Shop (November 18, 2024), and Chatzkel’s Closet (December 2, 2024). In Marlboro Township, about 40 storage units were targeted at Marlboro Self Storage on Tennent Road, where motorcycles, bikes, and tools were taken.
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The investigation involved coordinated efforts from Brick, Manchester, Berkeley, Marlboro, and Howell police departments, along with the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, Ocean County Sheriff’s Department, and the OCPO Narcotics Strike Force.