Asbury Park police say man stole $5,700 worth of beer kegs from Porta

Austin Bogues | Asbury Park Press

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ASBURY PARK - Police said they arrested a Neptune City man and charged him with stealing beer kegs from a popular Asbury Park pizzeria where he worked.

Porta Pizzeria, at 911 Kingsley St., reported that someone had stolen more than 38 beer kegs from the back of the property.

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Asbury Park police said Ryan Kircher, 35, a former employee, had taken the kegs and sold them for scrap at Mazza's Scrap Yard. Each keg is valued at $150 for a total of $5,700. Police said Porta also was charged $1,200 in fines for not being able to return the kegs.

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An Asbury Park police detective was able to recover 14 of the kegs and return them to Porta. Police said Kircher confessed to taking the kegs when interviewed at headquarters. He was charged with third-degree theft of property and has been released on a summons pending a court date.

Austin Bogues 732-643-4009; abogues@gannettnj.com

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