Make that Six Burglaries in Five Days

Police handled six burglaries and a whole slew of thefts, including two related to stolen bikes, according to the most recent police blotter released by Lt. Scott Buehler.

Burglary

On Monday at about 5:10 p.m., a burglary was reported at a multi-family home on Forest Street. According to police, the resident said that someone got into his apartment and stole several items sometime on Monday between 7:45 a.m. and 5 p.m. It is believed that the suspect got in through an unlocked side window. Police inspected the window and it appeared that the screen to the window had been cut, allowing access to the unlocked bedroom window.

The resident said that an Apple Mac laptop, valued at $1,000, a Nintendo Wii video game console, valued at $300, and about 20 silver dollars were taken from the residence. Police spoke to a neighbor, who reported seeing a suspicious person in the area at about 1 p.m. This witness said the suspicious man was inquiring about renting an apartment, even though no apartments were available for rent. The suspect is described as a medium-skinned African-American man, 5’7”-5’8”, medium build, 25 to 30 years old. He was last seen wearing a black windbreaker jacket, jeans, and work boots.

Anyone with further information is asked to contact Det. Ray Gulbin at (973) 509-4739.

Warrant Arrest

On Sunday morning at 3:25 a.m., police went to the East Orange Police Department to take custody of William Morris. Morris, 40, of East Orange, was placed under arrest after police confirmed that he had a warrant out of Montclair, with bail set at $2,500.

Burglary

On Thursday morning at about 10:20 a.m., a burglary was reported at a home on Harrison Avenue. According to police, the resident said the home was under renovation and had been vacant recently. The resident then told police that the contractor had arrived at the property on April 6 and noticed the back door had been kicked in, but did not report the incident to the police. The contractor then repaired the door.

The resident said he had been out of state and only recently learned of the burglary. It is reported that two complete Train HVAC units, valued at a total of $5,938.50 and weighing three and three-and-a-half tons, were missing from the living room. These HVAC units were last seen by the contractor in early March. There are no suspects at this time.

Anyone with further information is asked to contact Det. Charles Cunningham at (973) 509-4716.

Burglary

On Thursday at about 11:35 p.m., a burglary in progress was reported at the Grove Street Deli on Grove Street. According to police, a person reported seeing someone leaving the shattered front glass door of the deli. The caller said he was leaving a nearby building when he heard a thumping noise coming from the area of the deli. The suspect is described as a dark-complexioned African-American man, 250-280 lbs., approximately 6’2”, and with a short haircut. He was last seen wearing an off-white colored jacket and dark pants.

The caller said he followed the suspect north on Grove Street and east onto Oxford Street. The suspect reportedly began walking faster when he realized that the caller was following him. The suspect was then seen entering the passenger’s side of an older maroon-colored four door car, possibly a Mercury. The caller was unable to describe the driver, but said the car fled east on Oxford Street and entered Glen Ridge. The caller followed the vehicle and said that the car was last seen heading south on JFK Parkway.

Police checked the burglary scene and found a cash register on the floor with the drawer removed. The lottery machine was on the floor and appeared damaged as well. The owner of the store later told police that approximately $100 and an undetermined amount of lottery tickets were stolen from the store.

Anyone with further information is asked to contact Det. Terence Turner at (973) 509-4724 or Det. Joseph Anderson at (973) 509-4706.

Burglary

On Thursday at about 11:35 p.m., as police were investigating a burglary that occurred at the Grove Street Deli, police found the front door glass to the Marlboro Inn Bake Shop on Grove Street had been shattered. A rock was found in front of the doorway and is believed to have been used to gain entry. Police were later able to locate the owner, who after inspecting the inside of the business, determined that about $25 in loose change had been stolen from a cash register drawer.

Anyone with further information is asked to contact Det. Terence Turner at (973) 509-4724 or Det. Joseph Anderson at (973) 509-4706.

Arrest

On Thursday afternoon, police were called to the Montclair Public Library on South Fullerton Avenue on a report of a problem involving a juvenile. When police arrived, an employee directed police to the second floor, where a 15-year-old East Orange male was located. The employee said he had received an earlier complaint from a juvenile girl the contents of her book bag were laying on the floor of a room on the library’s first floor and that her book bag was missing. The library employee reviewed surveillance video and identified the 15-year-old East Orange juvenile as the suspect. It was later learned the suspect had taken the book bag and placed it inside the car of the mother of his friend.

The 15-year-old was arrested  and charged with theft. He was later turned over to a guardian.

Theft from a Motor Vehicle

On Thursday afternoon, a theft from a car on Orange Road was reported. According to police, a person said he had parked his Jeep Wrangler in the lot to his apartment complex on Wednesday at about 6 p.m. When he returned to the car the following morning at approximately 6 a.m., he discovered that his car radio had been stolen and his car had been rummaged through. The car was reportedly locked prior to the theft, but both windows to the vehicle had been left open approximately two inches. There are no suspects at this time. The radio is described as a black KD-240 after market CD/radio valued at $80.

Anyone with further information is asked to contact Det. Lynn McCarthy at (973) 509-4725.

Motor Vehicle Theft

On Thursday night, a Caldwell resident reported a stolen Jeep Cherokee on Park Street. He said he parked his Jeep at about  8:30 p.m. and when he returned to it just over two hours later, it was gone.

On Friday afternoon, police received information from the West Orange Police Department that the involved car had been involved in a pursuit and collision in that township. It was unknown at the time of the report if any apprehensions were made as a result of the pursuit.

Anyone with further information is asked to contact Det. Ricky Singleton at (973) 509-4722.

Vandalism to a Motor Vehicle

On Thursday evening, an car vandalism was reported at Mesob Restaurant on Bloomfield Avenue. The victim said he had parked his car about 6:20 p.m. When he returned about five hours later, he discovered the passenger’s side window to his Honda Civic had been smashed. Nothing was reported missing from the car and there are no suspects at this time.

Theft from a Motor Vehicle

On Friday afternoon, a theft from a car in the CVS parking lot on Claremont Avenue was reported. A Passaic resident said he parked his Toyota Camry in the rear lot at about 9:30 a.m. When he returned later at about 4:50 p.m., he discovered his driver’s license and a Garmin NUVI GPS, valued at about $100, had been stolen from the car. The car had been left unlocked prior to the theft. There are no suspects at this time.

Anyone with further information is asked to contact Det. Ray Gulbin at (973) 509-4739.

Bicycle Theft

On Friday evening just before midnight, a Maple Avenue resident reported a stolen bike. The victim told police that he had parked the bike in the area of the Midtown Parking Lot on Friday at about 3:50 p.m. He said he had locked the bicycle to a sign post in the lot. When he returned to the area that night at about 11 p.m., he found the bike lock on the ground, having been cut, and the bike missing. The bike is described as a blue and silver full-sized five-speed Schwinn Jaguar cruiser, valued at $180. There are no suspects at this time.

Anyone with further information is asked to contact the Juvenile Aid Bureau at (973) 509-4733.

Vandalism  

On Saturday morning, a vandalism was reported at Sain Cassian's School on Lorraine Avenue. Police arrived and spoke to the victim, who directed police to the northeast side of the property. The caller said at about 8:15 a.m., he discovered damage to three window screens on a ground-level classroom, located on the southwest side of the building. Further inspection revealed that the screens were torn and the frames were bent. A dented storm drain leader was also found on the ground near the damaged side of the building. It is believed that the vandalism occurred sometime after 6 p.m. on Friday. There are no suspects at this time.

Anyone with further information is asked to contact the Juvenile Aid Bureau at (973) 509-4733.

Bicycle Theft

On Saturday afternoon, a bike was reported stolen from a Plymouth Street home. The owner said she parked her Giant Sedona DX woman’s bicycle on Glenridge Avenue at about 12:45 p.m. The bike, which is valued at $420, was secured to a parking meter with a keyed cable lock. When she returned to the area about two hours later, the bike was gone. There are no suspects at this time.

Anyone with further information is asked to contact the Juvenile Aid Bureau at (973) 509-4733.

Burglary

On Friday at about 9:45 p.m., a burglary was reported at a home on Club Road in Upper Montclair. According to police, the resident said she had left her home at about 8:15 p.m. and returned at about 9:30 p.m. When she returned, she found her den's window had been broken, with the screen to the window found lying on the couch inside the den. Police checked the inside of the home, but did not locate any suspects.

The victim said a sterling silver chain and earrings, valued at $300, assorted costume jewelry, a gold and diamond necklace, valued at $300, and a gold chain necklace, valued at $300, were stolen from the master bedroom. A set of silverware, valued at $5,000, was stolen from the dining room. There are no suspects at this time.

Anyone with further information is asked to contact Det. Joseph Anderson at (973) 509-4706.

Burglary

On Saturday at about 9:25 p.m., a burglary was reported at an apartment on Depot Square. According to police, the resident said he had left his apartment at about 11 a.m. The victim said he dead bolted the apartment’s front door prior to leaving. When he returned to the apartment later that night at about 9:20 p.m., he discovered that the dead bolt was unlocked. The victim then went inside and saw that several dresser drawers in his bedroom had been opened. A BlackBerry Bold cell phone, valued at $300, was taken from his kitchen counter and approximately $100 in miscellaneous jewelry was taken from a bedroom dresser’s drawer.

Police checked the apartment and it is believed that the suspect gained entry to the apartment through an unlocked first floor bathroom window on the north side of the residence. There are no suspects at this time.

Anyone with further information is asked to contact Det. Joseph Anderson at (973) 509-4706.

Arrest

On Saturday evening, police responded to the area of Church and South Park streets on a report of a man who broke the window to the Montclair Parking Booth. Police arrived to find located a man, later identified as James Frasca, who matched the provided description. Police then spoke to the caller, who said she was working as the parking attendant in the lot at the time of the incident. She said Frasca began a conversation with her and she asked that he leave her alone. When he refused, the female, a 34-year-old Orange resident, locked herself inside the parking attendant’s booth. Frasca began banging on the door to the booth, and then punched a glass window to the booth, breaking it. Frasca, 51, of Montclair, was arrested and charged with criminal mischief. He was later released.

Theft

On Sunday at about 12:15 a.m., a theft was reported at the Premiere Dance Studio on Bloomfield Avenue. According to police, someone said her 15-year-old daughter was at a party at the dance studio, having arrived at 4 p.m. At about 9:10 p.m., she placed her purse on a chair. She returned to the purse about 10 minutes later and discovered her cell phone was missing from the purse. The cell phone is described as a black and gray LG Dare and is valued at $100. There are no suspects at this time.

Anyone with further information is asked to contact the Juvenile Aid Bureau at (973) 509-4733.

Theft

On Friday afternoon, a theft was reported at Beans coffee shop on Church Street. According to police, an employee said at about 5:20 p.m., someone walked into the store and asked for change. The employee opened the drawer and found she was not able to make change with cash in the register. The suspect then began walking around the store while the employee went outside for a moment to recover the chairs and table that are kept outside on the sidewalk. When she walked back into the store, she saw the suspect standing behind the counter. When she asked the suspect what he was doing, but, she said, his answer was ambiguous. The suspect then fled the store and was last seen walking east in the area of the Clairidge Cinema. The employee then checked the register and discovered that about $600 was taken from the register.

The suspect is described as a white man, approximately 30 years old, with dark brown hair. He was last seen wearing a light-colored jacket, blue jeans, and a brown hat. Anyone with further information is asked to contact Det. Charles Cunningham at (973) 509-4716.
Theft

On Thursday evening, police received a report of a theft that occurred at the Blue Bubble Laundromat on Bloomfield Avenue. The victim, an Aurora, Colorado resident, said she arrived at the laundromat at about 5 p.m. At some point, she placed her wallet in a laundry basket with her clothing. When she finished her laundry, she transferred it from the baskets to her bags and inadvertently left her wallet behind. She then left the laundromat at approximately 6:45 p.m. She later realized she had left her wallet behind and returned to the laundromat at about 7:30 p.m. She then learned that the wallet had been turned over to the employee of the laundromat. When she went through the wallet, the victim discovered that the only things missing from her wallet were various identification cards.

The victim stated that she recalled three other patrons being in the laundromat at the same time she was doing her laundry. They are described as follows:

—One thin, African-American adult woman, approximately 5'6" tall, with long dreadlock-style hair that had auburn tips

—One Hispanic adult woman, medium build, wearing a blue baseball cap

—One dark-skinned African-American adult man, medium build, short hair

Anyone with further information is asked to contact Det. Charles Cunningham at (973) 509-4716.