A May 1 inquiry by the Private Detective Unit of the New Jersey State Police resulted in the finding that the company and the men are not certified to be labeled as "security" or perform the duties of security officers.

The state unit is responsible for enforcing the Security Officer Registration Act or SORA, a state law ensuring security officers are certified and their companies licensed.

The discovery that "Mag Gar Services Corp" isn’t licensed to provide security comes years after employees of the company have been patrolling the ShopRite shopping plaza owned by The Real Estate Equity Company or Treeco.

Nathan Shmalo, a managing member of Treeco, said last week that his company "employs a security company" to ward off certain parkers and the presence of the company also deters crime in the private lot.

"We’re sure they are licensed," Shmalo said in a phone interview April 29.

But state police said last week that they have no record that "Mag Gar Services" or their employees are registered, licensed or certified with the state to provide security.

According to SORA, "No person shall use, possess, exhibit or display any license, card, shield or badge of any design or material purporting to authorize the holder or wearer to act as a security officer, unless such person holds a valid certificate of registration as a security officer."

The company and the "security" officers employed by the company found in violation of the act are guilty of fourth degree crimes and can receive fines by the state police in upwards of $20,000.

A state police detective who works in the Private Detective Unit advised that a "for-hire security agency can only provide services if they are licensed."

The detective also said individual security officers need to be registered and certified with the state to act as security officers.

State police do not have records to show that "Mag Gar Services" or its employees are licensed, registered or certified.

As a result of the inquiry by state police, Shmalo said Treeco will comply with state law from now on.

The men will no longer be wearing "security" uniforms, Shmalo said May 2, one day after the state inquiry.

"They are not going to be wearing shirts that say security and they will be working directly for the landlord," he said.

The presence of "Mag Gar Services" trucks, two men wearing "security" uniforms, and one man wearing a Magnolia Gardens landscaping shirt were visible in the lot since April.

The trucks and men have been blocking off parking spots to certain customers of five stores near the lot. The men have been approaching drivers, asking them what stores they are going to and then in some cases, telling the customers to move their cars out of the lot or be towed.

Shmalo said parking has become a problem because McDonald’s was approved by the city without any on-site parking for their customers and those customers are now parking where they shouldn’t be — in Treeco’s private parking lot behind the restaurant.

The three men manning the parking lot last week declined to comment.

The incorporating agent of "Mag Gar Services," William Goldberg, did not return a phone call for comment. An assistant in Goldberg’s office said Mag Gar Services was a "lawn and snow removal company."

Another associate of the company, Robert Brown of Tenafly, did not return a call for comment.

E-mail: kumka@northjersey.com or call 201-894-6705