Halloween Party Crashers Make Off With More Than Just Candy

Halloween party crashers apparently made themselves at home on Nov. 1 at about 2:30 a.m. by swiping laptop computers and other items before running out of a celebration they weren't invited to.

According to police, they responded to a multi-family home on Valley Road and heard from the victim and her roommate that they were hosting a Halloween party when the suspects arrived. The victim said that the suspects were not invited guests, but were welcomed into the home.

The suspects included three men and a woman. During the party, two of them were seen grabbing laptop computers from under a living room table and running out of the house. The victim also reported that a cell phone belonging to her roommate was stolen as well.

The victim told police that one of the suspects was chased east on James Street by other party guests. A laptop computer and the Samsung cell phone were recovered when the suspect dropped the items while running. Several others chased the other two suspects as the suspects fled south on Valley Road before entering a Mini-Cooper or a small SUV.

The first suspect is described as a light-skinned black or Hispanic man, approximately 20 years old, with his hair in a long braid. This suspect is the one who was pursued on James Street. He was last seen wearing a black, fitted, knit hat with a red bandana over his face. The suspect identified himself as “Poodah.”

The second suspect is described as a black man, about 20 to 22 years old, with shoulder-length dreadlocks. This suspect identified himself as “Alex” and was last seen carrying the other laptop and fleeing in the SUV on Valley Road. He was last seen wearing blue jeans and a red-colored hooded sweatshirt.

The third suspect is described as a black man, also about 20 to 22 years old,  and last seen wearing a dark-colored hooded sweatshirt with write writing on the front. The suspect identified himself as “Matty B.”

The fourth suspect is described only as a black woman last seen wearing a puffy, black jacket.

During the pursuit, suspect #1 dropped a black hat to the ground. The Essex County Sheriff’s Department’s K-9 unit responded and tracked the scent to Williams Street, but the suspect was not located.

The stolen laptop is described only as a Mac Book Titanium. Anyone with further information is asked to contact Detective Joseph Anderson at 973-509-4706.

In other police news:

Theft

A theft at the Merit Fine Wines and Liquor store on Bloomfield Avenue was reported on Oct. 28 at about 11:30 p.m. An employee told police that sometime between 9:30 p.m. and 10 p.m., someone had stolen a bottle of Ciroc Coconut Vodka, valued at $75, from the shelves.

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

Theft from a Motor Vehicle

A theft from a car on Union Street was reported on Oct. 30 at about 11:55 a.m. The victim told police that at about 6 p.m. on Oct. 29, someone had broken into the passenger's side window to his Volvo XC7 and stolen a Garmin GPS unit, valued at $350. There are no suspects at this time.

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

Vandalism to a Motor Vehicle

A person on Maple Avenue reorted vandalism to a car on Oct. 31 at about 3:35 p.m. The victim said a family member had parked a Ford Escort on the street in front of their home on that date at about 11 a.m. About 45 minutes later, a neighbor told the victim that two tires on the car were flat. The victim found that the tires had been slashed and that there was damage to the windshield.

Anyone with further information is asked to contact Detective Terence Turner at 973-509-4724.

Arrest

Police arrested a man for possession of a dangerous substance and disorderly conduct on Oct. 29 at about 1:10 a.m. According to police, they were dispatched to a Mission Street home on a report of a loud party. Upon arrival, police asked to speak to a resident of the house and found that none of the group lived there. Police asked that the group leave the area of the home due to the noise complaints. One member of the group, later identified as Clint Scott, told the officer, “I don’t have to go anywhere.” Police advised Scott that he would be placed under arrest for failing to disburse if he stayed in the area. Scott stepped towards the officer and said, “Do what you got to do.”

Police advised Scott that he was being arrested and attempted to handcuff him, but Scott refused to place his hands behind his back and held his arms firm. Scott was taken into custody after being wrestled to the ground. Scott was also found to have a bag of marijuana.

Scott, 30, of Montclair was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance and disorderly conduct. He was later released.

Theft from a Motor Vehicle

A theft from a car on Overlook Road in Upper Montclair was reported on Oct. 28 at about 4:45 p.m. The victim told police she had parked her Infiniti QX56 in her driveway on Oct. 27 at about 4:45 p.m. When she returned to the car the following morning at 8:15 a.m., she discovered that the contents of the glove box and center console had been removed and placed on the passenger’s seat. She reported that a blue/teal iPod Nano 8 GB, valued at $200, had been taken from the car. There are no suspects at this time.

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