Garbage strewn following dispute within Kiryas Joel

Monroe - State Police at Monroe continue to investigate disputes within the community within the Village of Kiryas Joel. The original complaints involved the distribution of political or religious flyers across the streets and roadways throughout the community. These incidents caused the roadways to be littered with trash. According to state police, the sequence of events has now escalated to garbage and regular refuse being thrown and displaced across the roadways in Kiryas Joel by not only pedestrians but also moving vehicles from within the community. In some cases trash is being lit on fire, either in dumpsters or on the roadways. On Saturday, Aug. 21, the Town of Monroe Highway Department had to be notified to clear Forest Road which state police described as being nearly impassable to vehicular traffic because of the volume of refuse in the roadway. Vehicles have been impounded by State Police and additional subjects have been arrested or identified in some incidents as being involved in the unlawful activities. Investigations are still being conducted. State Police also are currently investigating at least one other complaint. A resident reported Saturday morning that subjects from the community unlawfully entered his property and spewed garbage throughout his home. In recent nights over the past week, windows have been broken out of vehicles as well as other types of damage being reported to vehicles. Anyone with information about these incidents is requested to contact the State Police at Monroe at 782-8311.