In Bloomfield: Drug Arrests, Stolen Honda, Tool Theft, Jewelry Shoplifting, Obstruction and DWI, Storage Unit Thefts

Editor’s Note: The following incidents are taken directly from the Bloomfield police blotter, which may not include the full scope of police activity in the area. All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

7/6/2015 – Liam McNamara, age 23, from West Orange, was arrested at 11:08 pm on the 100 block of Floyd Avenue by Sergeant Edward Dwyer after a motor vehicle stop led to the discovery of items in his possession that the officer believed were drug paraphernalia and CDS. Sergeant Dwyer stopped to check a suspiciously parked 2004 Toyota on Floyd Avenue and after interviewing McNamara, who was in the driver’s seat, discovered: 50 empty glassine packages containing residue of what he believed was heroin, 17 previously used hypodermic needles containing residue of what he believed was heroin, 7 new hypodermic needles and 6 glassine packages containing a powdery substance believed to be heroin.

Officer Luca Piscitelli, a member of the Bloomfield Police Department Anti-Crime Unit and a trained Drug Recognition Expert, examined McNamara and determined that he was under the influence of a narcotic and placed him under arrest. McNamara was processed and charged with possession of CDS (heroin), possession of drug paraphernalia and DUI. He was released ROR with a court date pending.

7/7/2015 – A 2006 Honda was reported stolen from the lower end of Grove Street at 6 a.m. The vehicle was taken from the driveway.

7/7/2015 – A vehicle was broken into on the lower end of Llewellyn Avenue sometime between the evening of 7/6 and the morning of 7/7. The vehicle owner reported that tools valued at approximately $1,470 and a Sony radio valued at $30 was stolen from the vehicle.

7/7/2015 – Anthony Pravata, age 47, from Belleville, and Diana Marquina, age 30, from Newark, were both arrested at 11:44 pm on the property of 72 Bloomfield Avenue, after officers from the Bloomfield Police Department Anti-Crime Unit investigated an odor of marijuana in the area and found an illegally parked 2011 Honda in a disabled parking space.

Officers Matthew Popowicz, Anthony Litterio and Sergeant Nicholas Polidoro conducted an investigation and discovered substances believed to be marijuana, crack cocaine and heroin in the possession of the arrestees. Marquina was processed and released with a court date pending after being charged with and issued summonses for possession of CDS (marijuana under 50 grams), possession of CDS in a motor vehicle and unauthorized parking in a disabled parking space. Pravata was processed and being detained at the Essex County Correctional Facility, pending bail set at $10,000 with a 10 percent cash option, after being charged with possession of CDS (crack cocaine) and possession of CDS (heroin).

7/8/2015 – The manager of the Auto Zone located at 77 Bloomfield Avenue reported to police that a male entered the store, shoplifted an unknown amount of merchandise and fled on foot east on Bloomfield Avenue.

7/10/2015 – An employee of a jewelry store located on the 300 block of Broad Street reported that a male suspect entered the jewelry store, tried on $3,000 worth of jewelry and then ran out of the store north on broad street with the jewelry: a yellow gold chain with a cross on it, and a yellow gold bracelet.

7/12/2015 - Officers Matthew Rubbinaccio and Ana Ruiz responded to a call of a motor vehicle crash with a possible intoxicated driver involved at 5:39 p.m. on Willow Street. When the officers arrived they spoke with the driver of the 2014 Tesla that struck a parked 2003 Hummer and identified him as Ramchan Mootoosammy, age 61, from Montclair. The officers began conducting field sobriety tests on Mootoosammy when the passenger from his vehicle, Nowrattan Mootoosammy, age 55, from Montclair, entered the testing area and allegedly became verbally abusive towards the officers. Officers Ruiz and Rubbinaccio developed reason to believe that Ramchan had operated his vehicle while impaired and placed him under arrest.

During the arrest process Nowrattan continued to be belligerent and abusive towards the officers, who after several attempts to verbally curb Nowrattan’s behavior were unsuccessful attempted to place him under arrest as well. The officers reported that while attempting to place Nowrattan under arrest he grabbed hold of the push bumper of Ramchan’s car and resisted their attempts to arrest him. The officers eventually gained control of the suspect and took him into custody. Both men were processed and released after being charged. Police charged Ramchan Mootoosammy with DWI, and Nowrattan Mootoosammy with obstruction and resisting arrest.

7/13/2015 – The renter of a storage unit located at Simply Self Storage, 211 Grove Street, reported that items were missing from her unit. The missing items were listed as a 42 inch flat screen television, a queen size mattress and box spring and a headboard. The victim stated her unit was locked from the outside with a lock she purchased.

7/13/2015 - The renter of storage space located at Simply Self Storage, 211 Grove Street reported that items were missing from his vehicle which was parked in the rear lot of the property. The victim reported that a leaf blower is what was stolen from the vehicle.