Manchester Man Arrested For Smashing Lakehurst Barber Shop Pole; Caught On Video

A 66-year-old Manchester man who was caught on video smashing the Lakehurst Barber Shop pole was arrested Wednesday, police said.

Fred E. Wood Jr. was charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief in connection with the incident, police said.

The arrest was made after a man wearing a baseball cap was caught on video Tuesday as he smashed the antique barber shop pole.

The video can be found by clicking here, on the shop owner's Facebook page.

Craig Simpson, the owner of the shop, said the incident took place at 8:41 p.m. Tuesday night at the Union Avenue shop. He said the pole is an antique.

"I just had it installed two months ago," he said. "We have a video surveillance of a man in his 50s, approximately, breaking it with a bat."

At 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Lakehurst Police were dispatched to the shop for a report of damage to the barber shop pole.

The video showed a male subject peak out from an alley between the business and a neighboring building, police said.

When the subject saw an opportunity, he exited the alley, walked to the front of the business and broke the recently installed barber pole with the wooden handle of an ax.

The antique barber pole sustained extensive damage. An investigation by Patrolman Matthew Kline and Sgt. Ronald Heinzman resulted in them identifying the suspect as Wood, a resident of the Whiting section of Manchester Township.

He was later arrested by Patrolman Kline, Sgt. Heinzman and Sgt. Brian Baranyay in Lakehurst, at a local eatery.

Wood was released after posting 10 percent of $2,500.00 bail set by the Lakehurst Municipal Court.

The Lakehurst Police Department would like to remind residents to immediately report suspicious activity by calling (732) 657-7811.