Man Arrested for Attempting to Lure Child into Van

Maplewood Police today confirmed information that has been circulating in emails from parent to parent in Maplewood over the weekend: an arrest was made of a man driving a green van who had approached a child and told that child twice to get into the van. The child in question had been walking his dog near Midland Boulevard and Summit Avenue on Friday, July 16, 2010, around 4 p.m. Police located the man in the van shortly thereafter on Irvington Avenue, the child was able to make a positive identification. The man, a resident of Irvington, was arrested and charged with Attempting to Lure a Child and taken to Essex County Jail were he is being held on $50,000 bail. Read the full details from the police blotter below.

Our thanks to Captiain Paul Conlon of the Maplewood Police Department for this week's blotter:

July 14, 2010: Weapons Offense- Patrols conducted a motor vehicle stop on Millburn Ave near Overlook Tr. and found the driver of the car, Grover Drakeford, 23, of Raymond Tr., Maplewood, in possession of a 2 foot long machete.  The weapon was located in the rear seat area of the auto driven by Mr. Drakeford.  In addition to the weapons offense Mr. Drakeford was issued a summons for driving with a suspended license.

July 15, 2010: Theft from Auto- A resident from Coolidge Rd. reported to Police that he observed a black male, 5'8" tall, with a high top fade haircut, go into his unlocked vehicle that was parked in his driveway.   This subject then removed approximately $85.00 in cash from a wallet that was located in the console of the car.  The subject was last seen running through the rear yards onto Hudson Ave.

July 15, 2010: Stolen Auto- A resident of Jacoby Street left his 2004 Audi A4 running in the driveway with the keys in the ignition between 11:30 pm and midnight when an unknown actor drove off in the car.

July 16, 2010:  An 11-year-old boy reported to his mother that he was approached by a man in a green van while the boy was walking his dog on Midland Boulevard at approximately 4:00 in the afternoon. According to the boy's report, the man in the green van pulled to the curb near the boy and told the boy to get in the car two different times.  The boy became frightened and ran home to tell his mother.  After receiving a description of the van and its driver Officer Zuhowski located the van driving on Irvington Avenue. The boy was able to identify the man and the van and he was placed under arrest. Kazimierz Dyczynski, 58, of Clinton Ave., Irvington, was charged with Attempted Luring of a Child. He was later turned over to the Essex County Jail and is being held on $50,000 bail.

July 19, 2010: Burglary- A home on Summit Ave was burglarized sometime between 1:15 and 3:30 in the afternoon on Monday.  Entry was gained by pushing in an air conditioner located in a rear first floor window. Once inside the actors ransacked several bedrooms and stole a lap top computer and some jewelry.