Serial Burglar Faces 230 Charges in Cross-County Spree
A 48-year-old Berkeley Township man is facing an extraordinary 230 criminal charges following a months-long investigation into a widespread burglary operation that targeted storage facilities and businesses across Ocean and Monmouth counties. Craig T. Orler has been identified as the suspect in more than 90 burglaries, including approximately 40 break-ins at a CubeSmart storage facility in Brick Township between December 2024 and January 2025, according to Shore News Network.
Orler was ordered held in the Ocean County Jail during a detention hearing last Friday before Superior Court Judge Pamela Snyder. Prosecutors presented evidence of Orler’s lengthy criminal history, including multiple prior convictions for similar offenses dating back at least two decades.
Sophisticated Break-In Methods
Investigators said Orler employed consistent tactics across his crime spree, typically dressed in all black while cutting through perimeter fencing and using bolt cutters to access locked storage units. The stolen property included vehicles, valuable tools, electronics, and cash from both storage facilities and retail businesses, according to 94.3 The Point.
At the CubeSmart facility in Brick Township, items taken included an ATV, a motorcycle, car parts, a car engine, and various personal belongings. At a Marlboro Self Storage facility on Tennent Road, approximately 40 storage units were burglarized with two Harley-Davidson motorcycles, mountain bicycles, and power tools among the items stolen.
Multi-Jurisdictional Investigation
The investigation into Orler’s activities involved multiple law enforcement agencies across Ocean and Monmouth counties, including the Brick Township Police Department, Manchester Township Police, Berkeley Police, and the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office. A court-authorized search warrant executed at Orler’s residence on Mallard Road in Berkeley Township led to the recovery of some of the stolen property, according to The Lakewood Scoop.
In addition to the storage facility break-ins, Orler has been linked to burglaries at several Howell Township businesses, including Gorilla Vapes, The Guitar Shop, and Chatzkel’s Closet. In Manchester Township, he faces charges for break-ins at Tri-State Vending on Route 539 and Te-Amo’s Smoke Shop, where over $5,600 in tobacco products and a $2,440 ATM were stolen.
Escalating Pattern of Crimes
Assistant Prosecutor Isabella Young detailed the extent of Orler’s alleged crime spree during Friday’s detention hearing, noting that his activities spanned multiple municipalities over a seven-month period. The scope of the charges reflects what authorities describe as an escalating pattern of criminal behavior that included not only theft but selling the stolen items for profit.
Investigators revealed that they first connected Orler to the case after determining that stolen property was being sold by a person of interest. Subsequent surveillance and evidence gathering tied him to the string of burglaries across the region.
Legal Proceedings Continue
A second person, identified as Melissa Orler, was also arrested at the Berkeley Township residence and charged with receiving stolen property, though it remains unclear what her relationship is to the primary suspect or what role she may have played in the crimes.
Craig Orler’s next court appearance is scheduled for June 30 before Superior Court Judge Dina Vicari. The numerous charges he faces include burglary, receiving stolen property, theft, criminal mischief, and fencing offenses.
