New Jersey man charged with arson, stalking, harassment in connection with Haddonfield, Medford incidents
HADDONFIELD, N.J. (CBS) -- A man from Haddon Township was arrested and charged Friday in connection with an arson incident in South Jersey last October and other incidents of criminal mischief, harassment and stalking in Haddonfield and Medford Township.
The Camden County prosecutor, Haddonfield police chief and Medford Township police chief announced the arrest on Saturday.
Haddonfield police said Michael McNeely, 42, was charged with second-degree aggravated arson and third-degree criminal mischief in connection with an arson in October 2023 where a car was intentionally set on fire. McNeely was also charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief for a June 2019 incident. Both incidents happened in Haddonfield.
McNeely was additionally charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief and harassment for an incident on Nov. 9, 2023, in Medford Township where police said a bench was vandalized with spray paint on High Point Drive. The 42-year-old was also charged with fourth-degree stalking on multiple occasions from 2019 to 2023 in Haddonfield and Medford Township, according to the news release.
McNeely is in custody at the Camden County Correctional Facility pending a court date.
The news release said Haddonfield officers responded to a report of a car on fire on the 1000 block of Concord Circle on Oct. 21 and surveillance video showed a suspect pouring gasoline onto the car and lighting it on fire.
Authorities said officers previously responded to two car fires at the same home on Concord Circle on June 25, 2021, and Oct. 18, 2017. Investigators also mentioned they responded to the same house after a concrete block was thrown through a window on June 20, 2019. The two car fires at the residence are still under investigation.
Detectives said they identified McNeely as a suspect through digital evidence.
"I'm very proud of and grateful to our detective bureau, and for the collaboration between our detectives, CCPO, and the Medford Twp PD that helped bring this case to a positive resolution," Haddonfield Police Chief Jason Cutler said in the release.
Authorities urge anyone with information to call Detective Jason Roland of the Camden County Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes Unit at 856-225-5125, Detective Corporal Kristin O'Neill of the Haddonfield Police Department at 856-429-3000 or Detective Mark Hunsinger of the Medford Township Police Department at 609-654-7511.
Tips can also be sent anonymously through CAMDEN.TIPS.