Inset: Rebecca A. Sayegh (Toms River Police Dept.). Background: The area where Sayegh allegedly broke into her ex-boyfriend’s home (Google Maps).
A 32-year-old police officer in New Jersey has been arrested for allegedly breaking into her ex-boyfriend’s house and violently assaulting two individuals inside.
Rebecca Sayegh, a nine-year veteran of the Toms River Police Department, was taken into custody Friday and charged with one count each of first-degree home invasion burglary, terroristic threats, and resisting arrest, authorities announced.
Sayegh was also charged with two counts each of assault and criminal mischief.
According to a news release from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, officers with the Berkeley Township Police Department at about 11:20 p.m. on Friday responded to a call about a domestic disturbance at a residence on Evernhan Avenue. The home is about 65 miles south of Newark, New Jersey.
Upon arriving at the address, first responders quickly located an adult female — later identified as Sayegh — who they said had “smashed the front glass door of the residence, entered the residence, and then assaulted and threatened two victims inside the residence,” prosecutors wrote. Sayegh was said to be off-duty at the time of the alleged incident.
“It was also determined that Sayegh damaged the hood of a vehicle belonging to one of the victims which was parked in the driveway of the residence,” the release states. “Sayegh was taken into custody at the scene — after having resisted efforts to peacefully place her under arrest.”
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New Jersey Advance Media reported that Sayegh’s boyfriend was at the home with another woman when she allegedly broke in and physically struck both of them before smashing multiple items in the house. As she was being led away by police, Sayegh allegedly made threats that she was going to burn down her ex-boyfriend’s house.
Initially, Sayegh was served with the aforementioned charges by way of summons. However, due to the “serious nature” of the charges levied against her, Sayegh on April 28 was re-charged via warrant. Police placed her under arrest at her residence and she was subsequently transported to the Ocean County Jail.
Sayegh made her first appearance in court on Tuesday before Brick Township Municipal Judge Joseph Grisanti, according to a report from the Asbury Park Press. During the hearing, Grisanti reportedly informed Sayegh that prosecutors were seeking to have her held without bond until the case against her was resolved. The judge ultimately ordered Sayegh to remain in detention pending a hearing on the bond motion scheduled for Friday.
“Officer Sayegh understands the significance of the charges filed against her,” her attorney, Terrance Turnbach, told the Park Press. “She has been a member of the Toms River Police Department and proudly served her community for almost nine years. She is taking all of the appropriate steps to properly address the matter at hand and will remain cooperative throughout the pending legal proceedings.”
Sayegh in October 2024 filed a lawsuit claiming the Toms River Police Department was a “Boys Club” that repeatedly denied her promotions despite the fact that she performed her duties “in an exemplary fashion.” The complaint states that Sayegh had been subjected to sexual harassment, disparate treatment, and retaliation on the basis of gender, court records reviewed by Law&Crime show.
According to the suit, Sayegh’s superior officers “spread false and defamatory rumors” that she was “sleeping with various male coworkers” and also “commented on Plaintiff’s appearance and insinuated that Plaintiff could not complete the responsibilities of her position simply because she is a woman.
Sayegh’s case against the department is still pending.
