Burglary, Theft Of Identity, Bias Incident, Motor Vehicle Theft: Princeton Police Blotter

The following is a summary of incidents as reported by Princeton Police:

PRINCETON, NJ — On Aug. 25, at 9:35 p.m., Princeton Police and Fire responded to a commercial building on Bunn Drive for a commercial fire alarm. Officers discovered a shattered front door and found a man inside the building. The man had entered the building after breaking the front door with a large rock and discharged a fire extinguisher inside. The Elizabeth resident was arrested and while in police custody, he attempted to gain control of a responding officer’s Taser and duty firearm. The 24-year-old was subsequently charged with Burglary, Criminal Mischief, and two counts of Attempting to Disarm a Law Enforcement Officer.

On Aug. 26, at 8:32 p.m., a man reported receiving a phone call from individuals falsely identifying themselves as members of the Mercer County Police. The callers told the victim that he had outstanding warrants related to missed jury duty and demanded $17,000 in cash to avoid arrest. The man, believing the callers to be legitimate, withdrew $16,880 from his bank and deposited the money into a Bitcoin kiosk in Trenton as instructed. The man later realized he had been the victim of a scam and suffered a monetary loss of $16,880. The investigation is ongoing, and there are no identified suspects at this time.

On Aug. 27, at 9:16 a.m., Princeton Police responded to Westminster Choir College for a report of graffiti inside a building. An unknown suspect(s) wrote an offensive racial slur on a classroom whiteboard using erasable markers. Additional graffiti was observed on a hallway wall. There are no identified suspects at this time, and the timeframe and motive for the graffiti are unknown.

On Aug. 29, at 7:11 p.m., Princeton Police responded to a home on Ewing Street for a report of a stolen vehicle. The vehicle, a white 2025 Jeep Grand Cherokee, was reported stolen from the driveway during the overnight hours. The vehicle was subsequently located unoccupied in Piscataway, with no apparent damage. The vehicle was recovered and returned to Princeton for processing. There are no identified suspects at this time.

On Aug. 31, at 12:12 a.m., Princeton Police conducted a motor vehicle stop after observing a vehicle fail to obey a traffic signal. The driver was found to have a suspended driver’s license, expired vehicle registration, and an active $650 warrant issued by the West Windsor Municipal Court. The driver, a Ewing resident, was arrested and taken to Princeton Police Headquarters for processing. The 24-year-old was later released on his own recognizance with a new court date and issued a summons for driving while suspended.

On Aug. 31, at 10:11 a.m., Princeton Police responded to a school on Walnut Lane for a report of criminal mischief. Investigation revealed that an unknown suspect(s) threw a large piece of concrete through a window on the east side of the building, causing approximately $1,000 in damage. The incident occurred between Aug. 31 and Sept. 1. There are no identified suspects at this time.

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