Naked man on a rampage completely trashes NJ restaurant

✅ An employee reported to work and found a naked man vandalizing a restaurant

✅ A police officer calmed down the man

✅ The restaurant called it a "hate crime"

LAKEWOOD — A restaurant was trashed by a naked man in an "emotional crisis" Sunday morning before police descalated the situation.

The restaurant labeled the incident a "hate crime."

Police Capt. Greg Staffordsmith said an employee reporting for work around 10 a.m. to Maggie's Bar & Grill on Country Club Drive at the Lakewood Country Club found a man destroying furniture, equipment and inventory.

Pictures posted by the restaurant on its Instagram account show a tabletop removed from its pedestal, bottles and glasses on the floor behind the bar, a sound system knocked to the floor and shelves of supplies and food pushed over. The damage caused the restaurant to be closed for two days.

The responding officer spoke to the 29-year-old Lakewood man "calmly" and took him into custody. He was taken to a hospital for psychological evaluation and treatment.

The man, whose identity was not disclosed, was charged with burglary, theft and criminal mischief.

Staffordsmith said the man caused an estimated $100,000 worth of damage.

ALSO READ: Man with knife attacks cops outside home in Galloway, NJ

Restaurant: Deliberate 'hate crime'

The restaurant on its Instagram page called the incident a "hate crime."

"Maggie’s was vandalized, many irreplaceable items were deliberately broken and there was damage to our furniture, fixtures and equipment. This was intentionally done, the suspect swiftly made his way thru all areas of the building and was calculated in his destruction," the restaurant wrote.

The post stated that the restaurant takes pride in welcoming a diverse crowd.

Staffordsmith, however, said that there is no evidence of a hate crime.

The U.S. Department of Justice defines a hate crime as "a crime motivated by bias against race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or disability."

The restaurant was not reachable by telephone on Tuesday morning.

Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom