The wife of a mayor in Monmouth County wrote a letter of apology to a friend she worked for as a housekeeper after the friend allegedly caught her on a security camera stealing cash, according to police.
Jennifer Nelson, 52, of Manalapan, was charged with third-degree theft on May 22 for an incident that allegedly occurred a week earlier at a home in Freehold, according to police.
The victim is identified in court records as Nelson’s friend, and someone whose home Nelson cleaned for eight years.
Police allege Nelson, who is married to Manalapan Mayor Eric Nelson, stole $5,295 in cash and jewelry from her friend’s home.
Nelson’s also accused of third-degree receiving stolen property for allegedly pawning $4,400 worth of stolen gold in East Brunswick, police wrote in an affidavit of probable cause.
Receipts from gold buyers listing sales of stolen items were allegedly found, and some of the receipts had copies of Nelson’s driver’s license attached, police wrote in an affidavit of probable cause.
From April 22, 2024, through May 12, 2025, Nelson took $5,190 worth of assorted jewelry from the Freehold home, police allege in the affidavit.
The alleged stolen items included a gold necklace with a crucifix pendant, a braided gold necklace, and one Herringbone chain necklace.
She also stole $105 in cash from the home, police allege.
“I was provided with video of the accused removing cash and placing same into her pants,” an officer wrote in the affidavit.
The cash theft was allegedly captured on a Ring or Blink camera, the affidavit states.
The victim also gave police an apology note Nelson allegedly wrote after she was confronted.
Nelson’s attorney, Mitch Ansell, was in court on Wednesday and not available to comment on the allegations.
On Tuesday, Ansell told NJ Advance Media his client is concerned her case will be tried in the media.
“My client respectfully requests there isn’t a push in the media to judge her before her case is heard in a court of law,” Ansell said.
Nelson waived her first appearance and is due in court at a later date.
Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com.
