Crime & Safety

Woman Steals Nutley Man’s Jewelry During ‘Distracting’ Hug: Cops

A woman stole a 71-year-old Nutley resident's gold jewelry using the power of a hug, police said.

(Patch file photo)

NUTLEY, NJ — Nutley police have apprehended one of two people accused of stealing an elderly resident’s gold jewelry earlier this month, authorities said.

According to the Nutley Police Department, the theft took place on Sunday, Aug. 11, when a man and a woman in a grey Chevy Tahoe got out of their car and approached a 71-year-old local resident.

The woman came up and hugged the victim, “distracting” him while she placed imitation jewelry on him. When the duo pulled away in their car, the victim realized that his own gold jewelry had been swapped for the fake items.

Find out what's happening in Belleville-Nutleyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

The stolen jewelry was valued around $1,000, police said.

Nutley detectives eventually obtained the suspects’ vehicle information from a rental agency, leading to the arrest of Ovidiu Miclescu, 28, of Newburgh, New York. Police arrested Miclescu in Woodbridge.

Find out what's happening in Belleville-Nutleyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Miclescu’s wife, Tilora Miclescu, hasn’t been located. Police have issued a warrant for her arrest, authorities said Friday.

Keep updated with local public safety alerts at the Patch Belleville-Nutley Facebook page. Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.