‘Suspicious’ Essex County Pizza Deliveries Were A Prank: Cops

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — “Suspicious” and “dangerous” are not always the same thing. And though it’s important to be aware about potential crimes, it’s also just as imperative not to panic, as illustrated by a pair of “suspicious” incidents in Essex County this week that turned out to have non-criminal origins.

On Tuesday, the Nutley Police Department issued an alert on Facebook about a suspicious man who allegedly rang two residents' doorbells while holding an empty pizza box.

According to the Nutley Police Department, neither residents ordered pizza and refused to open the door. When the residents advised the man they didn't order anything, he "appeared to get agitated,” jumped up and down on the box and left the area in a "dark-colored" BMW driven by a second person.

• See related article: Nutley Cops Warn Of 'Suspicious' Man With Pizza Box

The Nutley Police Department’s Tuesday Facebook alert was swiftly shared by other nearby law enforcement agencies, including the Bloomfield and Verona police departments.

“Sharing a suspicious incident, please remain vigilant,” Verona police wrote.

“Although this occurred in Nutley, we are urging everyone to stay alert, remain vigilant and always report any suspicious incidents to your local police,” Bloomfield police stated.

Hundreds of social media users recirculated the alerts about the mysterious pizza deliveries, many expressing concern about public safety and presuming a crime had taken place.

• “Why do they call these thugs ‘actors?’ They are criminals, label them as such and stop with the stupid name tags.”
• “Crime comes to Nutley.”
• “You guys are surrounded by crime-ridden areas.”
• “Thanks for sharing. So scary.”
• “Time to get out of here.”
• “You cannot open the door to anyone! I don't care if it's a nun.”
• “I sit with my 12-gauge in the kitchen guarding my door and waiting for the officers.”
• “Needs a bat across his coconut.”
• “Open the door with a loaded .45 Glock and assure the handsome pizza delivery clerk that they better double check the address on their order next time.”

However, Nutley police said Thursday that the case of the suspicious pizza delivery man has been cracked: it was just a couple of local teens playing a prank.

“Concerned that this may have been a trick to gain entry into the home or a prelude to criminal activity, [officers] issued a township alert and conducted an investigation,” Detective Sgt. Anthony Montanari said. “We were able to identify the actors as township juveniles committing what they believed to be harmless pranks throughout the area.”

• See related article: Teens Dressed As Bushes Scare Union County Locals

The Nutley PD’s juvenile aid bureau plans to meet with the pizza pranksters and their parents, authorities said.

“Nine times out of 10, incidents like these turn out to be misunderstandings,” Montanari told Patch on Tuesday, adding that residents should continue to be aware and calmly take down and share any information about suspicious incidents.

“Let us [police] decide if something like this is serious or not,” Montanari said.

• See related article: Attempted 'Luring' Near Montclair High School May Have Been A Traffic Dispute

Nutley police later released descriptions of the two incidents that led to the alert:

Prospect Street – "Response was made to the residence to take a report of a suspicious incident. The victim stated that they observed a suspicious vehicle across the street from their home, and a male got out of a modern style sedan with a pizza box in their hand. The resident found it suspicious because they could tell there was nothing in the box because there was no weight to it. The unknown male rang the doorbell of a neighboring home and shouted to the driver of the vehicle “what you want me to do, there’s no cars in the driveway?”

Beech Street – "Officers responded to the residence and spoke with the homeowner who stated that they heard a knocking on their front door. When they went over to the door and looked out the window they observed a young male, with bleached hair tips, wearing dark clothes, holding a pizza box as if he were there to deliver it. Since the homeowner did not order anything, they spoke through the door and stated that they did not order anything. The actor became agitated, threw the box onto the front yard, and with the alleged receipt in their hand, jumped on the pizza box, which was empty, and picked it up and ran into the back seat of a dark ( blue or black ) BMW. The vehicle sped off West on Beech St. toward Bloomfield Ave. There was another male in the driver’s seat, but the victim was not able to describe."

‘SUSPICIOUS’ ARGUMENT IN VERONA

The Verona Police Department dealt with a “suspicious” incident involving an argument at the Pilgrim Shopping Plaza on Monday, authorities said.

Verona officers responded to the shopping center around 10:12 a.m. after getting a call about a man pushing a woman into a car after having “some sort of verbal dispute.” The caller provided police with a description of the vehicle and its license plate number, but police were unable to find the car after a search.

Verona police then contacted the vehicle owner’s hometown police department which conducted a welfare check and spoke to the woman involved in the dispute. Her explanation? She was fighting with her boyfriend and wanted to get another ride home.

The woman told officers that after the argument, she got back into the car with her boyfriend and drove home with him “voluntarily,” declining further police assistance.

There was never any “luring” or any other threat to the public, Verona police said.

“We thank the original caller for her keen awareness, obtaining the license plate, and forwarding the information to the VPD,” Verona police said.

• See related article: Creepy Clowns In North Caldwell Schools? Nope, Says Police Chief

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Photo: Karen Wall