Manalapan mayor’s wife left apology note after housekeeping theft, cops say

🚨 Jennifer Nelson was the housekeeper in Freehold Township

🚨 She was caught on video selling jewelry to a gold buyer, cops say

🚨 Her husband is the mayor of Manalapan

FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP — The wife of Manalapan Mayor Eric Nelson left an apology note after stealing over $5,000 in cash and jewelry from a friend's home, according to court documents.

Jennifer Nelson, 52, was charged Friday with the theft of cash and jewelry from the Freehold Township home where she had been a housekeeper for eight years.  According to an affidavit filed by investigators, Nelson was friends with the woman she stole from.

The criminal complaint says Nelson was caught on security video stealing a gold necklace with a crucifix pendant, a braided gold necklace, a herringbone gold necklace and $105 in cash, all worth $5,295. Nelson left the house with the cash stuffed into her pants, investigators said.

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Pawn slips and surveillance video from an East Brunswick gold buyer matched the merchandise stolen from the Freehold Township home, investigators said. Nelson was paid $4,400 for the items.

Nelson was charged with third-degree theft by Freehold police and third-degree receiving stolen property by East Brunswick police, according to the court documents.

Her husband, Eric Nelson, a Republican, was appointed mayor in January. He is up for re-election this year.

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