July 2024

Montclair Police Department
Police Blotter: July 2, 2024 – July 9, 2024

Criminal Mischief

July 2, 2024 (Upper Montclair Plaza): Officers were dispatched to Bloom Child Care where an employee reported a rock had been thrown through a second-floor bathroom window. The rock was discovered on the bathroom floor.

July 5, 2024 (Upper Montclair Plaza): An employee of “My Cleaners” also reported that a rock had been thrown through two panes of glass. The incident occurred sometime between July 3rd and July 5th.

Motor Vehicle Crime

July 3, 2024 (Upper Mountain Avenue): The complainant reported that he arrived at Mountainside Park at 10:30 AM and parked his car on Upper Mountain Avenue. When he returned at 12:30 PM he discovered the passenger side window to his vehicle had been shattered. His wallet and a phone charger were stolen. A credit card that was in the wallet was used at a nearby Family Dollar store.

July 7, 2024 (Orange Road): Officers patrolling the parking deck at 41 Orange Road discovered a parked 2023 Porsche Cayenne that had been reported stolen from Rahway, NJ earlier in the day. Surveillance captured the vehicle entering the lot at 9:08 AM. At 9:14 AM a medium sized black male with short, braided hair wearing a surgical mask and a white tank top exits the vehicle and walks away. The vehicle was impounded and returned to the owner.

Burglary

July 9, 2024 (Plymouth Street): A Plymouth Street resident reported hearing “crashing sounds” followed by his home alarm sounding. When he went downstairs to investigate, he discovered two individuals inside his home. Upon confronting the suspects, both individuals fled through a rear sliding glass door. Entry into the home was gained after the suspects used a large flat rock to shatter the rear door. Nothing was taken from the home. The suspects were described only as having a thin build and wearing dark clothing.

Arrests

July 2, 2024 (New Street): A 21-year-old male from East Orange, NJ was arrested on New Street after officers observed him and were aware he had warrants out of Verona, NJ. He was arrested and turned over to Verona PD.

July 5, 2024 (Church Street): A 25-year-old male from Montclair was charged with Simple Assault and Criminal Mischief following a dispute on Church Street.

July 7, 2024 (Park Street): A 31-year-old male from Montclair was charged with Theft following a dispute on Park Street.

Montclair Police Department

Police Blotter July 9, 2024 – July 16, 2024

Theft

July 12, 2024 (Elm Street): The victim reported that he left two DJ Speakers on his front porch for his brother to pick up. He discovered them missing the following day when his brother told them they were not there. The speakers were in bags that contained various other DJ equipment. The victim estimated the total loss was approximately $3200.00.

Strong Armed Robbery

July 12, 2024 (Grove Street): Officers responded to the rear parking lot by the Grove Street stores on a report of a strong-armed robbery. The victim is a delivery driver for FedEx. She reported that she entered the rear parking lot from Oxford Street and parked her truck to make deliveries. She began unloading her truck when three individuals ran up to her from behind, grabbed the packages from her arms, and fled in different directions. Two suspects ran towards Oxford Street to an awaiting gold Honda. The second suspect entered an awaiting silver Honda which fled towards Walnut Street.

The suspects were described as a black male, with dreadlocks, a beard, wearing a white shirt, stripped shorts, white and red shoes. Suspect two was described as a male with a beard wearing all black and a hat. Suspect three was a black male wearing a yellow t-shirt, black Nike shorts, and white sneakers. Surveillance video shows a third blue Honda that accompanied the two suspect vehicles. The packages contained cellphones and medication. Anyone with information can contact Detective Michael Mickens at (973) 509- 4715.

Burglary / Attempted Burglary

July 14, 2024 (Wayside Place): At 03:06 AM, Officers responded to a Wayside Place residence on a report of a burglary in progress. The resident reported that his home surveillance system captured three males enter his home by pushing in a piece of wood that was covering a rear window. The first arriving officer observed a white BMW 530 idling outside of the home. This vehicle was later determined to be a stolen vehicle from Edison, NJ. Upon observing the patrol car, the BMW fled at a high rate of speed south on Wayside Place. The officer pursued this vehicle through Montclair and West Orange before the pursuit was called off.

July 15, 2024 (South Brookwood Drive): The resident reported that she heard glass breaking and observed that her living room window had been broken. Home surveillance shows two males wearing all black sweatshirts with attached hoods, black pants and black shoes approach the front of the residence. The camera captures both the suspects walking towards the outside of the living room window, with black ski masks fully covering their faces. One suspect was later seen possibly traveling east on South Brookwood Dr, right before the surveillance camera stopped recording. Entry was not made into the residence.

Arrests

July 9, 2024 (Valley Road): A 26-year-old male from Wayne, NJ was arrested on outstanding warrants following a motor vehicle stop. 

July 9, 2024 (South Brookwood Drive): Officers patrolling the area of a possible motor vehicle theft in progress observed a 44-year-old male from Orange, NJ walking away from the scene. He was identified through surveillance as the suspect in the attempted motor vehicle theft and charged with Criminal Attempt and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

July 11, 2024 (Bloomfield Avenue): A 34-year-old from Montclair was charged with Criminal Mischief following a dispute on Bloomfield Avenue.

Montclair Police Department
Police Blotter July 16, 2024 – July 23, 2024

Motor Vehicle Crime

July 17, 2024 (Harrison Avenue): The complainant reported that he observed an unknown male inside one of his vehicles that was parked in the driveway. When the complainant yelled out to the suspect, the suspect fled to an awaiting silver sedan. The suspect vehicle fled south towards West Orange.

July 20, 2024 (Walnut Street): The victim reported that his BMW X6 was entered during the overnight hours. The vehicle was parked in the driveway. When he entered his vehicle in the morning, he discovered it had been ransacked and his wallet was missing.

July 22, 2024 (Bloomfield Avenue): The victim reported that she parked her vehicle in front of CVS on Bloomfield Avenue. She entered the store leaving the vehicle running with the keys inside. When she exited CVS, she observed the suspect entering her vehicle and fleeing east on Bloomfield Avenue. The vehicle was a 2011 Black Nissan Sentra.

Theft

July 18, 2024 (Bloomfield Avenue): An employee of Royal Bagel and Deli reported that an unknown male reached over the counter and stole the employee tip jar. The suspect then fled east on Bloomfield Avenue. Officers located the suspect, however the store declined to press charges.

Burglary

July 23, 2024 (Sunset Park): The resident reported that he was asleep on the second floor of his home when he observed someone outside of his bedroom door with a flashlight. The resident yelled at the suspect who in turn fled downstairs and out of the house. It appears as though the suspect made entry through a first-floor window. The resident was unable to provide a description of the suspect.

Arrests

July 17, 2024 (Bloomfield Avenue): A 28-year-old male from Paterson was charged with Defiant Trespass following an incident of Bloomfield Avenue.

Montclair Police Department

Police Blotter: July 23, 2024 – July 30, 2024

Motor Vehicle Crime

July 23, 2024 (Highland Avenue): The resident reported that he was in bed and received an alert that there was movement in his driveway. Upon viewing the footage, he observed an unknown male attempting to enter his 2022 BMW X2.

The suspect was unsuccessful and ran back to an awaiting dark sedan. Responding officers observed a dark Honda Accord travelling south on Highland Avenue and then east on Claremont Avenue at a high rate of speed. The vehicle eluded officers and was last seen south on Mount Prospect in Verona.

July 24, 2024 (High Street): The victim reported that his wallet was stolen from his work truck while parked on High Street. He stated that several of his credit cards were used at a Walgreens in Garfield, NJ and a 7-11 in Lodi, NJ.

July 27, 2024 (Upper Mountain Avenue): The resident reported that he was in the process of carrying groceries from his vehicle into his house. He observed an unknown male walking away from his vehicle carrying his green satchel. The suspect then entered a 2017 black Mercedes Benz wagon which was reported stolen out of Metuchen, NJ and fled north on Upper Mountain Avenue.

July 27, 2024 (North Mountain Avenue): The victim reported that she was leaving Anderson Park and observed that the front passenger side window on her vehicle was shattered. Witnesses reported that they observed a male with a bat breaking the window in an attempt to get a purse that was left inside of the car. The suspect then fled to an awaiting Ford Mustang.

Burglary / Attempted Burglary

July 28, 2024 (Clinton Avenue): The resident ( who was away) reported that he was checking past activity on his home surveillance and observed that three males had entered his residence a few days prior. The suspects appeared to have gained entry through a first-floor window. Once inside, several rooms were ransacked. Proceeds from the burglary are unknown at this time. The suspects may have been looking for keys to a Range Rover that was parked in the driveway.

July 29, 2024 (Harvard Street): The resident reported that he awoke and observed a first-floor window was open. He then discovered his white BMW X5 had been stolen from the driveway. The incident occurred between 10:30 PM and 6:00 AM.

Assault

July 30, 2024 (Claremont Avenue): The victim reported that he was walking west on Claremont Avenue when he was approached by a male requesting money. The victim refused to provide the suspect with any money. The suspect then struck the victim several times in the face and head. The victim suffered lacerations to his head and face. He was treated by Montclair EMS and transported to Mountainside Hospital. The suspect was described as a light skin black male wearing a red shirt and black pants.

Arrest

July 23, 2024 (Orange Road): Officers responded to a burglary in progress at an Orange Road residence. Upon confronting the homeowner, the suspect fled. Responding officers located the fleeing suspect and placed him under arrest. The 20-year-old Montclair resident was charged with Criminal Attempt Burglary