Long branch man charged with robbery after shoplifting incident
Police vehicle with lights on at a crime scene.

Long Branch man charged with robbery after shoplifting incident

Posted by
1 min read
March 17, 2025

OCEAN TOWNSHIP, N.J. — A Long Branch man faces multiple charges, including robbery, after allegedly assaulting a store employee while attempting to flee a shoplifting incident on Sunset Avenue, police said.

Gregory H. Sims, 49, was accused of shoplifting and assaulting an employee before fleeing the scene on March 16 at approximately 1:35 p.m. Officers responding to a report of a fight were unable to locate Sims initially, despite assistance from a Monmouth County Sheriff’s K9 unit.

A short time later, officers spotted Sims near the Tower Motel on Route 35. He was taken into custody without incident and transported to police headquarters. According to authorities, Sims admitted to his involvement in the shoplifting during an interview with detectives.

Sims has been charged with robbery, trespassing, possession of drug paraphernalia, and contempt of court. He was taken to the Monmouth County Correctional Institution, where he awaits an initial court appearance.

Authorities credited multiple officers, including Detectives Dean Schoch and Zachary Rhein and Sergeant Michael Melody, for their roles in the arrest.

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

Facebook

Breaking News

Don't Miss