Crime & Safety

Hazlet Man Charged With Stealing Metal Sprinkler Valves

The valves are valued at $12,153.

Holmdel Police have arrested a man they say is responsible for stealing several sprinkler system backflow prevention valves from various places in the township. 

Matthew Dorishook, 33, of Hazlet was arrested by Det. Eric Hernando on March 19 and charged with wresting off 15 valves from various locations, which are valued at $12,153. Police say he used a saw to cut away the PVC of the units to remove the valves and resold the units at different recycling centers. 

The thefts were reported by the Village Grande Community, the Cedar Village Community, Meridian, the Holmdel Commons, the Holmdel Town Center and the Crape Myrtle Apartments. 

The Ocean Township Police Dept. reported that they arrested Dorishook on March 3 and charged him with stealing ten brass outdoor irrigation sprinkler backflow valves valued at approximately $1,300 at the Cedar Village at Ocean community, as well as being in possession of heroin and burglary tools. His 2009 BMW was seized by police, they said.
 
Area police departments were alerted."Shortly after that we had similar incidents reported and were able to arrest Dorishook,"  said Holmdel Lt. Michael Pigott.  

When brass backflow prevention valves mysteriously started disappearing from places like The Orchards in Holmdel in 2012, Patch interviewed the managing editor of Drinking Water and Backflow Prevention Magazine about the trend.

An arrest is not a conviction and every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty under the law.



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