Theft By Deception, Burglary To A Motor Vehicle: Princeton Police Blotter

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

PRINCETON, NJ — On June 24, a woman reported that the driver-side doors of her personal vehicle were keyed sometime between the evening of June 23 and the morning of June 24. The estimated cost to repair the damage is over $500. This investigation is ongoing.

On June 26, patrols responded to a financial institution on Nassau Street for the report of a suspicious man involved in fraudulent activity. The on-scene investigation revealed that the man impersonated the victim by presenting a forged Michigan driver's license. He attempted to transfer approximately $32,150 from the victim’s account, but was ultimately unsuccessful. Additionally, the man presented patrol officers with a stolen credit card, which also belonged to the victim. He was placed under arrest and transported to police headquarters, where he was processed accordingly. The 52-year-old Trenton resident was charged with theft of identity, exhibiting a false government document, possession of a false government document, fraudulent use of a credit card, and uttering a forged government document. The man was provided with a court date, and he was subsequently released from police custody without further incident.

On June 27, a woman reported that unknown suspects forced entry into her vehicle while it was parked in the Community Park South Parking Yard. The suspects removed her credit cards and attempted to use them at various nearby establishments. Surveillance footage was obtained, showing the individuals involved, along with details about their descriptions and facial features. The woman incurred a total loss of approximately $560.

• Suspect 1: A Hispanic male, approximately 5'8" to 5'10" tall, between the ages of 30 and 40, with a slim build, short dark hair, and a short beard.
• Suspect 2: A Hispanic male, approximately 5'6" to 5'8" tall, between the ages of 40 and 50, with an average build, short dark and gray hair, no facial hair, and wearing black oval-shaped glasses.
• Suspect 3: A Hispanic female, approximately 5'4" to 5'6" tall, between the ages of 30 and 40, with an average build and long blonde hair.

On June 27, a woman reported that on June 26, an unknown suspect purporting to be her grandson, stated that he was arrested and needed $9,300 to post bail. Additionally, the unknown person advised the victim to contact "Officer Branch" for further information regarding the matter. Subsequently, the woman went to PNC Bank and withdrew $10,300, and later provided it to an unknown suspect. On June 27, the victim received a phone call from an individual claiming to be "Officer Branch," attempting to collect an additional $8,500. The victim subsequently went to PNC Bank and attempted to withdraw $8,500, but the transaction was denied by the bank manager. There are no suspects at this time.

On June 28, a victim reported that their vehicle was burglarized between approximately 10:45 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. on June 27, while parked in a parking lot off of Mountain Avenue. The victim stated that their Bank of America debit card, Bank of America credit card, and American Express company credit card were stolen from their wallet, which had been left inside the vehicle. Following the theft, the stolen credit cards were used for purchases totaling $4,127.45 at a business in Lawrence Township, with individual transactions amounting to $3,374.68 and $752.77. A similar incident has been reported to this department, and it is suspected that the same individuals may be involved, as they were captured on surveillance footage in another parking lot during the previous incident. The investigation is ongoing.

On June 30, following a motor vehicle crash investigation, the driver, a 37-year-old woman, was found to have been operating her vehicle while intoxicated. She was taken into custody and transported to headquarters for processing. After processing, the Brick resident was issued summonses for driving while intoxicated, refusal to submit to breath testing, reckless driving, careless driving, driving with an expired license, and leaving the scene of an accident involving property damage. The woman was given a court date and then released to a sober adult.

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