Alleged Trespassers Arrested at Old Jail

Less than 24 hours after officials from North Caldwell inspected the site in order to come with a plan to secure it, another group of alleged trespassers were arrested on the grounds of the old Essex County Jail Annex, now owned by K. Hovnanian Homes, according to North Caldwell Police Chief Mark Deuer.

Just after midnight last Thursday morning, a security guard employed by K. Hovnanian notified police that he saw people with flashlights on the property located off of Elm Road, Deuer said.

North Caldwell Police Officer Travis Ruffo found one adult and three juveniles "hiding in the brush," Deuer said.

The four suspects were arrested and charged with trespassing, possession of alcohol under the legal age, and possession of narcotics and paraphernalia, Deuer said. All four suspects were under the legal age to possess alcohol, Deuer said.

The suspects were allegedly in possession of 50 grams or less of marijuana and paraphernalia, as well as four bottles of watermelon-flavored vodka, Deuer said.

Eric Nolan, 18, of Toms River, was released on his own recognizance, Deuer said. The other suspects, two juvenile males and a juvenile female, from Toms River and Brick, were released to their parents at 3:55 a.m., Deuer said.

The North Caldwell Police Chief said he, along with the borough's engineer and code enforcement officer, met last Wednesday morning with representatives from K. Hovnanian and APG Security, the company the developer employs to monitor the site. The purpose of the inspection was to come up with a plan to secure the site, Deuer said.

The inspection was called at a meeting initiated by Deuer after a North Caldwell police officer was injured in late August when he fell through a hole at the old Essex County Jail Annex while searching for four Bloomfield residents who allegedly forced their way into the abandoned building.

"I think we pointed out eight or ten things we wanted them to secure to prevent people from entering," Deuer said. "They were starting work [Thursday] to close the underground tunnels, weld additional doors, fix fencing, seal windows and fill the exterior entrances."

According to John Caniglia, area counsel for K. Hovnanian Homes, Hudson Valley Division, the developer has already begun implementing some of the recommendations made by North Caldwell officials.

In addition, demolition of the two largest buildings remaining on the site, the main cell block and the old women's prison located behind it, will be expedited.

"We were originally not going to demolish those final two buildings until next year, however, we have agreed to accelerate the demolition of those, so we will be putting that contract out to bid and expect to get started on that demolition later in the fall, sometime in November likely," Caniglia said.

Caniglia added that it would take about six months to demolish those structures.

Meanwhile, security will continue to be present on the site with added security planned around Halloween. "We will beef up security for that weekend in anticipation that there will be more trespassers out," Caniglia said.