LAKEWOOD, N.J. — A 48-year-old Lakewood man has been charged with aggravated arson after investigators determined he was responsible for a structure fire that broke out in a residential neighborhood on Delaware Trail, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced.
Yaakov Stern was charged on Sept. 3 in connection with the Aug. 25 fire, which prompted a large emergency response from the Lakewood Township Police Department and Lakewood Fire Department.
Firefighters contained blaze
Emergency crews were dispatched to Delaware Trail at approximately 9:30 p.m. after reports of a structure fire. When first responders arrived, they found the building actively burning.
Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze before it spread further. Authorities have not released information about injuries or the extent of damage to the property.
Investigation led to arrest
According to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, detectives with the Lakewood Township Police Department identified Stern as the individual responsible for starting the fire during the course of their investigation.
Stern was taken into custody on Sept. 3 by detectives from the Lakewood Township Police Department. He was transported to the Ocean County Jail, where he remains held pending a detention hearing.
The investigation involved the Lakewood Township Police Department Detective Bureau, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, the Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office, and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit.
Prosecutor Billhimer commended the participating agencies for their work in bringing the investigation to a conclusion.
