Keansburg Man Gets 20 Years For Armed Robbery, Impersonating A Cop

Steven P. Rinck

Steven P. Rinck, 49, of Seabreeze Way in Keansburg was sentenced to 20 years in state prison today for his conviction a total of 15 counts, including four counts of fourth degree Impersonating a Law Enforcement Officer, two counts of first degree Armed Robbery, one count of second degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, one count of second degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, two counts of fourth degree Aggravated Assault by Pointing a Firearm, two counts of third degree Terroristic Threats, two counts of second degree Kidnapping, and one count of second degree Certain Persons Not to Have Firearms.

John R. Tassini imposed the concurrent sentences today on the 15 charges in Freehold. Rinck is subject to the “No Early Release Act” which requires him to serve 85% of his sentence before he is eligible for parole.

Rinck was convicted on Christmas Eve 2015 for an incident that occurred around 9 p.m. on October 21, 2012, at 156 Seeley Avenue in Keansburg. He gained entry into the residence under the guise of being a member of law enforcement while armed with a handgun and carrying a document he said was a search warrant to search the house. Once inside the residence, Rinck convinced the victim he was a legitimate member of law enforcement before stealing cash and drugs from the victim and a friend who arrived at the residence during this incident.

During the armed robbery, Rinck claimed he worked for the State Police before forcing the two men, at gunpoint, into a vehicle. He later released the second victim, but took the resident on a ride in search of drugs, and asked for information regarding where he could obtain guns. The victim was finally released by Rinck after telling him the first name that popped into his head, “Tito,” the cartoon character from the show he was watching on television prior to Rinck’s arrival. The victim reported the incident to Keansburg Police, sparking an investigation that revealed additional victims to Rinck’s claims of being a law enforcement officer.