Maintenance man used master key to let himself into apartment in Jackson and steal: jury

TOMS RIVER - A maintenance man at a Jackson Township apartment complex used a master key to let himself into one of the units and help himself to the tenants' cash and valuables, prosecutors argued at a trial in Superior Court.

An Ocean County jury, convinced by the evidence presented by the state, on Wednesday found Troy Jones, 58, of Jackson, guilty of burglary and theft, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

After a two-week trial before Superior Court Judge Dina M. Vicari, the jury found that Troy, who was employed as a maintenance worker at an apartment complex known as Chatham Court West in the Gardens at Jackson Twenty-One, used a master key issued to him by the complex to enter an apartment and steal $4,500 and an Apple watch, Billhimer said in a news release.

The burglary and theft was discovered on Dec. 23, 2021, when the tenants of the apartment returned home from work and discovered the cash and watch was missing, the news release said

Jones was charged with the crimes following an investigation by the Jackson Police Department's detective bureau. He had been released from the Ocean County Jail pending trial under New Jersey's bail reform law.

Jones nnow faces up to five years in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for May 31.

The state's case was presented by Madeline Buczynski and Iva Krasteva, assistant Ocean County prosecutors.

Kathleen Hopkins, a reporter in New Jersey since 1985, covers crime, court cases, legal issues and just about every major murder trial to hit Monmouth and Ocean counties. Contact her at khopkins@app.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Jury finds maintenance man stole thousands from Jackson apartment