MV Thefts
February 1, 2022 (South Park Street): A 2017 white Mercedes C43 was stolen from The Crescent. The owner reported he was standing outside of his vehicle which was running when he was approached by a slim black male wearing all black clothing who asked him where the nearest restroom was. As the owner approached this male a heavyset black male wearing all black and a mask entered his vehicle and fled east towards South Fullerton Avenue. The vehicle was recovered unoccupied in Newark on February 3, 2022.
February 2, 2022 (Bloomfield Avenue): A 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee was stolen from Bloomfield Avenue. The owner reported that he had the key fob in his pocket however, the vehicle was running and the trunk was open while he was unloading items into his apartment. He reported that he looked back and saw his vehicle being driven away, with the truck still open. The vehicle was recovered shortly thereafter on Union Street by patrol officers. No suspects were located.
February 3, 2022 (Bloomfield Avenue): The victim reported that her 2017 Mercedes E30 was stolen from a parking space on Bloomfield Avenue while she was eating in a nearby restaurant. She was in possession of her key fob. It was located two days later, abandoned in Newark.
February 5, 2022 (Warren Place): The resident reported that his vehicle was stolen from his driveway at 3:01 AM. He reported that his wife observed a black male, no further description, enter their 2021 Audi E-Tron wagon and flee east on Warren Place. It was being trailed by a red Nissan Altima. The vehicle was recovered unoccupied later that day in Belleville.
February 5, 2022 (Harrison Avenue): The victim reported that he was pulling his 2012 Porsche Cayenne into a bay of the Delta Gas Station and stepped out of the car for a few moments. The vehicle was left running when an Audi Q7 pulled into the station. A black male exited the Audi, entered the victim’s Porsche, and fled north on Harrison Avenue with the Audi following. The Porsche was recovered the next day, unoccupied in Newark.
February 6, 2022 (Union Street): The resident reported receiving an alert on his phone reporting motion near his garage. Upon checking the footage, he observed a male running up his driveway and attempting his black Mercedes Benz and white BMW M85. Both vehicles were locked and the suspect returned to an awaiting red Honda Accord.
February 7, 2022 (Bellevue Avenue): The owner of a 2019 Audi A4 reported that he left his vehicle running while he went into get a coffee. When he returned, he observed an unknown person in his vehicle and a dark colored SUV parked next to his. Both vehicles then fled east on Bellevue Avenue.
February 7, 2022 (Warren Place): The resident reported that his 2020 Volvo XC90 was stolen from his driveway. Surveillance footage shows the vehicle being stolen at 12:44 AM. It was recovered later that day, abandoned in Newark.
Burglary/Theft
February 7, 2022 (Highland Avenue): The resident reported that her iPod Touch and approximately $15.00 in change was stolen from her vehicle while it was parked on the street. There was no description of suspects.
February 7, 2022 (Bloomfield Avenue): Officers responded to Panera Bread on a report of a burglary. The business was closed for the evening however, employees were still on scene. Employees reported that an unknown male entered the rear door of the business and stole a wallet from an employee’s purse. The suspect was described as a black male, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, black sweatpants, and red Jordan Raging Bull 5's (Sneakers).
Arrest
February 4, 2022 (Bloomfield Avenue): Joseph Sasso (21 years old, Nutley, NJ) was charged with Driving While Intoxicated following a motor vehicle stop.
Vandalism
February 9, 2022 (Bay Street): A Township employee reported observing fresh graffiti within the Bay Street Parking Deck. The graffiti was located on the third and fourth level and consisted of illegible writings.
February 11, 2022 (Valley Road): The caller reported damage to the outdoor playground at Saint James Episcopal Church. They reported that an unknown person(s) entered the playground and destroyed two storage containers and two swing sets. There was no suspect description provided.
Motor Vehicle Related Offenses
February 9, 2022 (Union Street): The caller reported that she observed an unknown male walk across her front yard and enter her parked 2017 Mercedes SUV. The suspect opened the door and sat in the driver’s seat. The caller yelled out to the suspect who replied, “Don’t leave your car unlocked”. The suspect then returned to an awaiting silver sedan with tinted windows and fled east on Union Street.
February 9, 2022 (Bloomfield Avenue): The victim reported that she parked her 2021 BMW X5 on Bloomfield Avenue and entered a nearby business. While inside the business the victim observed her vehicle driving away, west on Bloomfield Avenue. The vehicle was recovered the next day in West Long Branch, NJ.
February 11, 2022 (Upper Mountain Avenue): The resident reported observing four unknown males entering one of his vehicles in the driveway. He added that he was working in his first- floor office and observed the juveniles enter his wife’s unlocked vehicle and then attempt to enter his locked car. The resident yelled at the suspects, who ran to a dark colored sedan which fled northbound. The suspects were described as four black males, 15-18 years old.
February 11, 2022 (Bellevue Avenue): The victim reported that his 2020 BMW X5 was stolen from the Bellevue Avenue Train Station Lot. A witness reported that he observed a black four door vehicle, occupied by four males, slowly circle the parking lot, before stopping in the west side of the lot. Two individuals exited the circling vehicle, then gained entry into the victim’s BMW. After starting the vehicle, they fled the area, heading west on Bellevue Avenue. All four individuals were described as black males in their late teens or early twenties.
February 12, 2022 (Valley Road): The victim reported that she parked her 2019 BMW X4 in the parking lot of 146 Valley Road. Her eleven-year-old child remained in the car. Shortly thereafter, an unknown male entered the BMW but upon seeing the child inside, he immediately exited. The child also exited the vehicle and entered a nearby store to advise his mother of what had transpired. It was at this time that the suspect re-entered the now empty vehicle and fled west on Van Vleck Street. The suspect was described as a black male approximately 5’8” to 5’10” tall, wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt with the hood pulled over his head. He was also wearing a light blue medical-type face mask covering the lower portion of his face. The vehicle was recovered unoccupied in Newark.
February 12, 2022 (Glenridge Avenue): The victim reported that he parked his 2021 BMW X5 on Baldwin Street. A witness reported that while the owner was inside a store, she observed a white BMW pull up along side the victim’s vehicle. A black male exited the white BMW and entered the victim’s car and began rummaging through it. The suspect then returned to the white BMW and fled west on Glenridge Avenue. The suspect vehicle was a reported stolen vehicle out of North Arlington.
February 14, 2022 (Mount Vernon Road): The resident reported that his home surveillance system captured an unknown person approach his 2021 Jeep Cherokee at 4:30 AM. The doors to the vehicle were locked. The suspect returned to an awaiting vehicle and fled west on Mount Vernon Road.
Burglary/Theft
February 11, 2022 (Bloomfield Avenue): The victim reported that his third-floor business, Alliant Global, was entered while he was out of the office. A ThinkPad Laptop was the only item reported missing.
February 13, 2022 (Bloomfield Avenue): The attendant at the Shell Gas Station reported that a 2018 Range Rover arrived and purchased $71.00 worth of gas. The vehicle then fled east on Bloomfield Avenue without paying. The vehicle was reported stolen out of Wayne, NJ
Assault
February 11, 2022 (Pine Street): The victim reported that he was walking on the east side of Pine Street, travelling southbound, when he was approached from behind by an unknown person who struck him in the head. The victim reported that he fell to the ground, ultimately causing a laceration and contusion to his head. There was no suspect description provided.
Arrest
February 13, 2022 (Bloomfield Avenue): Evelyn Puente de la Vega (28 years old, Elizabeth, NJ) was charged with Driving While Intoxicated following a motor vehicle stop.
Burglary / Theft
February 15, 2022 (Bloomfield Avenue): An employee of Crockett’s Fish Fry reported an unknown person(s) attempted to enter the business at some point between 9:00 PM February 14th and 11:00 AM the 15th. The actor(s) used a hammer to shatter a front window, however it is unknown if entry was successfully gained. There were no reported items missing.
February 15, 2022 (Walnut Street): An employee of Pappardelle Restaurant reported that a metal tie lock from two drums used to collect used cooking oil had been cut. Both tanks were empty upon discovery of the damage. It is unknown how much oil was taken. Had they been full at the time, the oil was estimated at $2,400.00.
February 16, 2022 (Highland Avenue): A resident reported that while taking out his trash he discovered the front door to his vehicle ajar. Upon checking his surveillance system, he observed two males exit a white midsize SUV and enter his vehicle. The car was rummaged through but nothing was reported missing.
February 18, 2022 (Sylvan Place): The resident reported that she started her 2019 Nissan Rogue to warm up in her driveway at approximately 7:30 AM. When she returned to her driveway 15 minutes later, she discovered her vehicle had been stolen. It was recovered later that day after being involved in a motor vehicle accident in Newark.
February 18, 2022 (Mount Hebron Road): Administrators at Bradford Academy reported that each grade in the school was issued two plastic bins to fill with change as a school contest. One of the grade’s bins was reported missing. It was said to contain approximately $600.00.
February 19, 2022 (Greenwood Avenue): A resident reported that a package that had been delivered on February 17, 2022 was stolen from his front foyer. The package contained approximately $750.00 in sports memorabilia.
February 21, 2022 (Upper Mountain Avenue): The resident reported that she observed two males jog down her driveway and enter two unlocked vehicles parked in her driveway. She yelled out to them and they fled to an awaiting red SUV. Nothing was reported missing.
February 21, 2022 (Marquette Road): A resident of Marquette Road reported her 2021 BMW X5 was entered and rummaged through. Nothing was reported missing.
Armed Robbery
February 22, 2022 (Bloomfield Avenue): The victim reported that he arranged to purchase three iPads for $2000.00 from an individual he met online. He stated that he arrived at 15 Bloomfield Avenue and parked his vehicle in the rear of the stores. Soon thereafter, a high end white four door vehicle and a red sedan pulled up and boxed him in. One male exited the passenger side of the white vehicle and approached the victim’s driver side window. A second male exited the passenger side of the red sedan and approached the victim’s passenger side window. Both suspects pointed black handguns at the victim and demanded his money and ordered him out of his vehicle. The victim turned $2000.00 to the suspects and who demanded he exit his vehicle. The victim was able to pull his vehicle around the two suspect vehicles and escape. The suspects were only described as two black males. They were last seen fleeing east on Bloomfield Avenue. Anyone with information can contact Detective Steven Mateo at (973) 509-4721.
Thefts
February 23, 2022 (Alexander Avenue): A contractor working on a home on Alexander Avenue observed a white Mercedes Benz occupied by three black males stop in front of the home and enter the resident’s vehicle. He yelled to the suspect who fled west on Alexander Avenue with an undetermined amount of loose change. The Mercedes was determined to be stolen from Clifton, NJ
February 23, 2022 (Valley Road): A 2019 Infinity Q7 that was left running was stolen from outside of a Valley Road residence. It was recovered the next day, unoccupied, in Newark.
February 25, 2022 (Claremont Avenue): The resident reported that she ordered a dress valued at $1200.00 from an online store. It was reportedly delivered on February 21, 2022 however when the victim went to retrieve it, it was gone.