NJ police say burglar returned to apologize

RAHWAY, N.J. – Police in central New Jersey say they arrested a man on burglary charges after he returned to the victim's house to apologize. Rahway police arrested 35-year-old Craig Fletcher of Elizabeth on Wednesday shortly after the homeowner told them a man had just rung his doorbell, apologized for the break-in and run off on foot.

The homeowner said he interrupted the June 29 burglary. He chased the burglar, who had stuffed three laptops and an Xbox game console into a backpack. The intruder threw the bag down and got away.

Fletcher was also charged with a second burglary in the same neighborhood.

He was taken to the Union County Jail in lieu of $60,000 bail. Police did not know whether he had a lawyer.

NJ town can't seem to decide what to call itself

WOODLAND PARK, N.J. – Would a New Jersey town by any other name smell as sweet?

West Paterson voters narrowly passed a referendum last November to change the Passaic County town's name to Woodland Park this year. But some supporters of the change claim borough officials are secretly supporting a grass-roots campaign for another referendum that could change the name back to West Paterson.

Among the reasons cited by Woodland Park supporters is that many signs haven't been updated with the new name of the small community just west of New York City. They claim that's an endorsement by town officials of the Save West Paterson group.

Councilman Keith Kazmark says borough officials decided to gradually implement the name change to save money.

At least three other times residents rejected new names, including Garret Mountain in 2001.

Odd News:Police say NJ man posed as female veterinarian

VINELAND, N.J. – Police say a New Jersey man posed as a female animal doctor, ran an illegal veterinary practice and set up a phony rescue agency that may have duped pet lovers out of thousands of dollars. Vineland police arrested 26-year-old Daniel C. Tyce on Friday and charged him with practicing medicine without a license. He is being held on $10,000 bail.

Police say he ran a business called South Jersey Small Animal Rescue, falsely identifying himself as Dr. Danielle Smith, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania veterinary school.

Police say he inoculated pets and offered small animals for adoption for a fee. He also solicited donations, claiming the agency was a nonprofit. Authorities say it was not.

Police do not know if Tyce has retained a lawyer.
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Message in bottle tossed off NJ in '69 found in NC

Message in bottle tossed off NJ in '69 found in NC

NORTH HALEDON, N.J. – A message in a bottle tossed into the ocean off Barnegat Bay has turned up in North Carolina — 39 years later. The note was sealed in a Schaefer beer bottle. It was dated Aug. 17, 1969 and read: "If found notify the North Haledon Fire Co. 2."

Mark Ciarmello and his 3-year-old daughter found the bottle along a beach in Corolla, N.C., in October. That's about 400 miles from where it was released.

The Downingtown, Pa., resident said he got on his cell phone, called North Haledon and e-mailed photos of the bottle to the firefighters.

No one is sure who tossed the bottle. But firefighters suspect it was during one of the many fishing trips that they used to take years ago.

Information from: The Record of Bergen County