Not to mention that I already posted this story in the Boycot A-1 deli thread hours before GrovePath saw it fit to post the story twice in it's own thread.

i grow weary from the constant flow of drunk/ cop/ drivers/ gun/ dog / etc. crime stories posted on this site, almost always by GrovePath. yet, they appear on the "recently replied" even if they're not replied to, but only newly posted. grove path: it seems obvious you work for the paper. and you want to protect you're livelihood. i respect that. i have no problem with that. but posting the stories here, for free, does not sell papers. we get the free content and a signature urging us to "buy local papers." why should we? all the content is here for free. at least if i'm sent to the website it helps the ad revenue and i can associate the web content with the JJ brand and get exposed to other JJ stories. that's why the internet is a WEB: the site and stories connect. so, with that in mind, perhaps you would do better to print only half the story here and then divert us to the JJ website. that won't make fewer posts, but it might advance your interests. or, maybe the web dude can set up a special forum for JJ, HJ, JCR, and other news-spammers to post their news links. that won't take stories out of the main page ("recently replied"), but creates it's own forum. maybe could be cross-linked with a subcategory? usually, crime & safety. eh. i don't know. i simply not convinced so many crime/ safety stories tell us much about this town. and as to what that says about the JJ subscription rate... perhaps JJ should reconsider their tabloid/ compact format and tabloid/ smalltown flavor.

Cops: Homeless Man Slept In, Stole From Prep School

By STEPHANIE BARISH wpix.com
June 12, 2009


JERSEY CITY, N.J. (WPIX) - A homeless man, who's accused of bunking inside a Jersey City Prep School, was also stealing items from the institution and selling them, authorities say.

Rodney Vallion, 50, was caught by a security guard sneaking into St. Peter's Preparatory School around 3:15 a.m. Thursday. Police say Vallion, who admitted to authorities he had been sleeping on the school's fourth floor after recently getting out of jail, was sneaking into the building every night for about a week by gaining access through a side door.

Vallion reportedly told police he had been selling property he stole from the school at A-1 Deli on Grove Street. As part of an undercover investigation, police nabbed deli employee Fel Basem, 31, attempting to buy what he thought was a stolen laptop from the school. In addition, police uncovered a stolen VCR and toolbox belonging to St. Peter's Prep School, at the deli.

Police charged Vallion with burglary and theft. Basem is facing stolen property charges.

Police say this isn't the first time Vallion has been caught snatching items from St. Peter's Prep. According to Police Sgt. Michael Gajewski, Vallion was caught stealing from the school in 1995, 2002 and 2006. According to the New Jersey Department of Corrections Web site, Vallion was sentenced to up to five years behind bars for the 2006 crime.

COPS SAY MAN: THIEVED BY DAY - SLEPT AT PREP

Friday, June 12, 2009
By TOM SHORTELL
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

A security guard caught a man recently released from jail who was allegedly living in St. Peter's Prep in Jersey City.

Accused of selling stolen items to deli...

A homeless thief was caught yesterday bunking at St. Peter's Preparatory School by night and selling items he allegedly stole from the Downtown Jersey City school by day, reports said.

Police say Rodney Vallion, 50 - who has a long history of burglarizing the high school - was sneaking into the building every night for about a week through a side door he propped open before a security guard noticed him clambering up a fire escape about 3:15 a.m. yesterday.

Vallion, who was sleeping on the fourth floor, told police he recently got out of jail and had been sleeping at the school ever since, reports said.

Vallion also told police he had sold property he stole from the school at A-1 Deli on Grove Street, reports said.

Police set up an undercover investigation and caught deli employee Fel Basem, 31, trying to purchase what he thought was a stolen laptop from the school, reports said.

Police searched the deli and found a VCR and a toolbox that Vallion said he sold there and a St. Peter's Prep faculty member identified the items as school property, reports said.

Vallion was charged with burglary and theft and Basem with fencing stolen property, police said.

Vallion was caught burglarizing St. Peter's Prep in 1995, 2002 and 2006, said Police Sgt. Michael Gajewski. "He said schools were his specialty. He found them to be easy targets, easy access," Gajewski said.

School officials, including the president, the Rev. Robert Reiser, didn't return phone calls requesting comment yesterday.

The Rev. John Mullin, a guidance counselor at the school, said last night he had only heard that someone was caught breaking into the school early yesterday.

Mullin said school had ended for the summer on Sunday, when graduation was held.

According to the New Jersey Department of Corrections Web site, Vallion was sentenced to up to five years in prison for two counts of burglary in 2006 in Hudson County.

The Web site indicated Vallion was still in custody, but the site is only updated every two weeks.