Newark Man Burglarized 3 Local Businesses, Police Allege

NEWARK, NJ — A Newark man has been accused of burglarizing several local businesses in the city, authorities announced Thursday.

Joseph R. Hernandez, 51, of Newark, is a suspect in five burglaries that took place between Dec. 3 and Jan. 14, according to the Newark Department of Public Safety.

Detectives investigating the burglaries identified Hernandez as a suspect. He was arrested Wednesday at Frelinghuysen Avenue and Emmet Street, authorities said.

Hernandez has been charged with burglary, theft and criminal mischief.

Newark police released the following statements about each incident:

• “At approximately 3:15 a.m., on December 3, police responded to Vinny’s Restaurant and Pizzeria, located at 22 Ferry Street, on a call of a burglary. A male suspect used an object to shatter the store’s front window and removed $300 from the cash register before fleeing, heading westbound on Ferry Street.”
• “Also, on December 3, police responded to La Guayaca, a bakery and restaurant located at 74 Monroe Street, on a call of a burglary that occurred between the hours of 8:40 p.m. and 8 a.m. the following day. A suspect shattered a window, entered the business, and stole the cash register containing over $2,000. The business was burglarized twice more on December 13 and on January 14. In both incidents, the front window was shattered.”
• “On January 12, police responded to Vando Pastel, a bakery located at 109 Wilson Avenue, on a call of a burglary. At approximately 3 a.m., a suspect broke the store’s front door, entered and stole $1,350 from the register before fleeing, heading east on Wilson Avenue.”

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