Police Blotter: Pot-Related Arrests Near School

The Maplewood police arrested three women and one man over the weekend for possesion of drug pararphelia at a school playground. 

The police responded to a 3 a.m. report on Saturday that people were hanging out by the Jefferson Elementary School playground. Investigating police officers found a small glass bowl commonly used for smoking marijuana on site.

Karolyn Simpson, 29, Kelsey Albertson, 24, and Kerry Szylowski, 23, all of Maplewood, and Wayne Gravesande, 22, of Newark, were arrested and charged with possession of drug pararphenelia, according to police.

Albertson, who allegedly had a tin canister with three plastic bags of a substance that later tested positive for marijuana, was also charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance under 50 grams, police said. Gravesande also had unrelated traffic warrants. 

All four were later released by police. A fifth person who was at the playground ran away and was not caught, according to Maplewood police.

The Maplewood police also handled the following incidents:

April 24: Malicious Damage. Officers responded to a Boyden Avenue store front on a report of a broken plate glass window. Responding officers quickly determined that the window had been deliberately broken, and developed a suspect and a witness to the incident. Subsequent to a field investigation by Officer T. Kincaid and an investigation by Detective R. Smith, resident Brandon Hughes, 21, of Maplewood, was arrested on a summons for charges of criminal mischief.

April 26: Graffiti. Officers responded to Memorial Park on a report of graffiti located underneath the Oakview Avenue Bridge. The graffiti consisted of numerous words and drawings. It is unclear when the graffiti was made.

Anyone with information about the grafifiti should call Detective Baez of the Youth Aid Bureau at 973-762-3400 Ext. 7924.

April 27: Motor Vehicle Theft. An Elmwood Avenue resident reported that his 2003 Jeep Liberty was stolen from outside his residence. The owner reported that he had parked the jeep at 11 pm on April 26 and discovered it missing at 6 am on April 27. The jeepwas later recovered in Orange.

April 28: Theft from Vehicle. A Peachtree Road resident reported that unknown suspect or suspects removed several items from his unlocked car between 7 pm April 27 and 12:05 am April 28. Items reported missing from the vehicle included a GPS unit, prescription medicine bottles, and five books of raffle tickets.

This blotter was provided courtesy of Lt. Dean Naddeo of the Maplewood Police Department.