Police Blotter: Thefts at MKA And Elsewhere; Cars Entered in Upper Montclair

Motor Vehicle Theft

A car was reported stolen on Oct. 25 at about 8:25 a.m. on Park Street in Upper Montclair. The owner reported that sometime between 11:30 p.m. on Oct. 24 and 7:30 a.m. on Oct. 25, someone had stolen her Hyundai Santa Fe that she had parked in her driveway. There are no suspects at this time.

Vandalism

A case of vandalism to a building on Park Street was reported on Oct. 25 at about 8:40 a.m. The victim told police that sometime between Oct. 22 and Oct. 24 someone had used black spray paint to write what appeared to be “DRED A” on the front door to the building. There are no suspects at this time.

Shoplifting Arrest

A shoplifting was reported at Pathmark in Lackawanna Plaza on Oct. 25 at 12:30 p.m. Police spoke to an employee at the store who said he saw a woman, later identified as Lourdes Pinto, placing items in her handbag. Pinto was detained and found to have more than $50 in merchandise from the store.

Pinto, 30, of Newark, was arrested and charged with shoplifting. She was later released.

Burglary

A burglary was reported at a home on Hilltop Place on Oct. 26 at about 9:10 a.m. According to the resident, sometime between 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 24 and 3 p.m. on Oct. 25, someone removed tools from the garage area. Entry may have been gained through an unlocked window. A Sears 2900 PSI 7hp power washer, valued at $500, a red 2½-gallon Dewalt air compressor, valued at $250, and a black EX-Cell pressure washer with a Briggs and Stratton motor valued at $500 were reported stolen. There are no suspects at this time.

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

Drug Arrest

Police arrested Erskine Powell, 37, of Newark for distributing prescription legend drugs in the area of Claremont and North Fullerton avenues on Oct. 26 at about 2:10 p.m. According to police, detectives spotted two men engaged in a conversation with one of them producing a plastic prescription bottle. Detectives detained the man, identified as Powell, and found the bottle contained 50 Xanax pills. A portion of the prescription label on the bottle had been removed.

Powell was charged with unlawful possession of prescription legend drugs, possession of prescription legend drugs with intent to distribute, and possession of prescription legend drugs with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of Immaculate Conception High School. He was later released.

Drug Arrest

Police arrested Justin Plaza, 20, of Montclair for possession of a controlled dangerous substance on Oct. 26 at about 5:10 p.m. Police responded to Ward Place on a report of a suspicious car parked in front of a house. Police located an Acura Integra and spoke to the operator, later identified as Jahfari Spence. While speaking to Spence, police detected the strong odor of marijuana coming from the car. During the course of the investigation, police learned Spence had an warrant for his arrest issued by East Orange. Spence, 21, of Montclair, was arrested. Bail had not been set at the time of the report.

Police also spoke to a passenger, later identified as Plaza. Police saw a book bag between Plaza’s legs, with a Ziploc bag containing marijuana sticking out of a compartment to the book bag. Plaza, 20, of Montclair, was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance. He was later released.

Anyone wishing to report drug activity is asked to call (973) 509-4720.

Theft

A theft from the North Fullerton Parking Deck was reported on Oct. 26 at about 6:45 p.m. The victim said he left a black and yellow cloth Everlast gym bag, valued at about $50, outside his car at 2:50 p.m. When he returned about 10 minutes later, he discovered his bag was missing. The bag contained a brown necklace with a cross, valued at about $100, a pair of black Everlast boxing gloves valued at about $200, silver-colored Nike running shoes valued at $120, gray-colored Sony headphones valued at about $10, a black leather Brookstone cellular phone case valued at about $40, supplement powder valued at about $40, a black-colored mouth guard valued at about $10, and blue-colored Sony headphones valued at about $40. There are no suspects at this time.

Theft

A theft was reported at The Salvation Army's building on Trinity Place on Oct. 27 at about 11:05 a.m. An employee said sometime around 2 p.m. on the Oct. 26, a cable box in the building’s main meeting room had been stolen. The cable box is valued at $100.

Theft

A theft was reported at Montclair Kimberley Academy on Lloyd Road on Oct. 27 at about 5:25 p.m. The complainant said his son’s wallet was stolen from an unlocked locker inside the school between 2:45 p.m. and 4 p.m. The wallet contained about $30 and various identification cards. There are no suspects at this time.

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

Theft

A theft was reported from a home on Orange Road on Oct. 27 at about 6:20 p.m. The caller said sometime between 5 p.m. on Oct. 26 and 6 p.m. on Oct. 27, someone had stolen a boy’s green-colored bicycle, valued at approximately $200, from the rear of the home. There are no suspects at this time.

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

Theft from a Motor Vehicle

A resident on the Fairway in Upper Montclair said three cars left unlocked in her driveway had been entered sometime between 9:30 p.m. on Oct. 27 and 8:15 a.m. on Oct. 28. The caller said a motor vehicle insurance card had been stolen from a Honda Civic and a motor vehicle insurance and registration cards had been stolen from a Volvo. Another resident at the same address said an owner’s manual and motor vehicle insurance card had been stolen from his Lexus RX. There are no suspects at this time.

While on the scene, police were approached by another resident on The Fairway who reported a car had been entered at her home. This complainant said a Toyota Corolla had been parked in the driveway. The car had been left unlocked prior to the incident. It was unknown at the time of the report if anything was missing, but it had appeared someone had disturbed the contents of the car.