Prosecutor: Former Corrections Officer Sentenced for Shoplifting

A former Monmouth County Corrections officer has been sentenced for shoplifting incidents that took place in Ocean Township and West Long Branch, Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Lori Linskey announced Friday.

Suzanne Simone, 53, of Ocean Township, a 22-year officer with the Monmouth County Correctional Institution, was ordered to forfeit her position, serve a year of probation, pay more than $1,300 in restitution, and never return to the from which she stole, according to the terms set Friday by Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Joseph W. Oxley.

Simone had earlier pleaded guilty to fourth-degree shoplifting in connection with multiple instances in which she failed to pay for items at local Target and Home Depot stores.

A collaborative investigation revealed that on multiple occasions, Simone “skip scanned” items — scanned multiple cheaper items while avoiding the more expensive, or simply pretended to scan them — and left the stores without paying for them. In many of the instances, Simone was wearing her uniform while committing the theft. Some of the stolen goods were later recovered from her residence.

— Edited press release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office