Crime

There were no reported injuries in a detached garage fire January 7 that closed part of Hamilton Street, police said. Police said the fire was reported shortly after 4 p.m. Responding officers found a home’s detached garage ablaze. The fire later spread to a shed on Brookline Avenue, police said. Hamilton Street was closed between Hawthorne Drive and Highland Avenue, …

The Franklin Township Police Department has become the first police department in the United States to be certified by the Obama Foundation’s My Brother’s Keeper Alliance. As part of a national network of more than 100 MBK communities, Franklin Township joins the MBK Alliance and commits to expanding opportunities for boys and young men of color, according to a press …

12/07/2025 Patrol recovered a stolen motor vehicle in the area of Reler Ln. during the morning hours. The vehicle was unoccupied, and the suspect(s) is unknown. The reporting jurisdiction was notified of the recovery. A business located in the area of Somerset St. was the victim of a burglary and criminal mischief during the overnight hours. An unknown male was …

11/30/2025 A business located in the area of Elizabeth Ave. was the victim of a shoplifting on 11/27/25. An unknown female exited the store without paying for merchandise valued at approximately $50.  A business located in the area of Elizabeth Ave. was the victim of a shoplifting on 11/28/25. An unknown female exited the store without paying for merchandise valued …

11/23/2025 A Somerset resident was the victim of a theft in the area of Douglas Ave. during the overnight hours. The unknown suspect(s) stole the victim’s vehicle. There were no signs of forced entry, and the victim was in possession of the keys. The vehicle was entered stolen into a national database. The vehicle was recovered, unoccupied, in an outside …

The Franklin Township Police Department’s Community Relations Bureau on December 20 held its 5th Annual Holiday Toy and Clothing distribution at the CRB headquarters on Hamilton Street. The fifth year of the event is a “milestone that reflects the continued generosity and community spirit of Franklin Township residents and local partners,” FTPD spokesman Capt. Vincent Wilson said in a release …

11/16/2025 A Somerset resident was the victim of theft by deception on 11/12/25. The victim received a call from an alleged representative of E-trade. The unknown suspect asked the victim questions relating to his account. After the call concluded, $45,000 was withdrawn from the victim’s account. It appeared the money was transferred into an unknown account located in Atlanta, GA. …

A 5-year agreement between the Franklin Township Police Department and FBI, through which the FBI will use the FTPD’s Route 27 firing range for practice and training, was authorized December 9 by the Township Council. The deal was struck by a Memorandum of Understanding between the FBI and FTPD. There will be no cash payment for the FBI’s use of …

11/09/2025 A Somerset resident was the victim of criminal mischief between 10/18/25 and 11/09/25 in the area of Reler Ln. The unknown suspect(s) shattered a window to the victim’s vehicle. The damage was valued at $250. A 53-year-old Spotswood man shoplifted from a business located in the area of Easton Ave. during the afternoon hours. He was stopped by an …

SAYING THANKS – Flanked by FTPD Captains Vincent Wilson and Brandon Domotor, and acting Public Safety Director Lloyd Fredericks, former Public Safety Director Quovella Maeweather speaks at the November 25 Township Council meeting. Quovella Maeweather, the Township’s former Public Safety Director, was honored at the November 25 Township Council meeting Maeweather, who is now a Deputy Chief in the Johns …