Following a recent string of reported drug activity, overdoses and shoplifting incidents at the Jackson Premium Outlets, township police stepped up enforcement to try and catch these criminals in the act.

Jackson Police said that they had some of the Special Enforcement Unit Detectives and Patrol Officers conducting an on-site detail both in high visibility mode and in plain clothes.

"This is to attempt to identify those individuals who travel to the Outlets specifically to engage in criminal activity such as shoplifting, which in many cases due to corporate policy is not reported until hours or in some cases, days later so the stores can document what has been stolen, making investigating the incidents problematic," Jackson Police said in a statement.

While members of the Jackson Police Department were on-site at the Outlets late Wednesday afternoon, they saw two men near the Nike store exhibiting behaviors consistent with shoplifting and so it prompted a closer investigation.

Police found the two men in possession of "improvised devices utilized to defeat store's security measures", along with stolen items they looted from several stores within the Jackson Premium Outlets.

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Both men were then placed under arrest and the vehicle they were riding in -- a 2006 Lincoln Zephyr -- was impounded, seized pending further investigation.

Alfred Miller, 33, of Cambria Heights, New York was charged with shoplifting, conspiracy, possession of burglary tools and being the leader of an organized retail theft enterprise and also had an outstanding warrant for his arrest.

DeShawn Reid, 32 of Mount Vernon, New York was charged with shoplifting, conspiracy and possession of burglar tools.

Miller and Reid were both then processed and brought to the Ocean County Jail.

Be it the Jackson Premium Outlets or any other part of the township, police said they will continue ramping up patrols to make it clear to the criminal element that any type of illegal activity will not be tolerated.

"As call volume and other investigations permit, detectives and patrol officers will continue to conduct these details to take action and make arrests as warranted to discourage others from traveling to Jackson Township to engage in criminal activity."

If you see or hear anything, you can call Jackson Police at 732-928-1111.

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