House Fire, Car Burglary, Arrests Reported In Scotch Plains

SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ — A house fire, car burglary, fraud and arrests were reported recently in the township, according to the police blotter.

Scotch Plains Police blotter:

On Aug. 8: A resident in the 1500 block of Rahway Rd. reported that their mailbox was damaged sometime during the day.

On Aug. 10: A resident in the 2000 block of Raritan Rd. reported a fraud. Someone gained access to the victim’s bank information and cashed a check for several thousand dollars. Under investigation.

On Aug. 10: Melvin A. Hanciles, 27, of Scotch Plains was arrested and charged with defiant trespassing
during an investigation at the Quick Chek located at 1928 Westfield Ave. Hanciles was arrested by Officer Melissa Rivera. He was transported to headquarters and processed.

On Aug. 10: Michael E. Jordan, 29, of Plainfield was arrested on an outstanding warrant out of Plainfield during a motor vehicle stop conducted by Officer Tricia DiLollo. He was transported to headquarters and
processed.

On Aug. 11: Officers responded to home in the 200 block of Byrd Ave. on a report of an oven fire. They were able to extinguish the fire. The Scotch Plains Fire Department responded and the scene was made safe.

On Aug. 11: Officers responded to the 1600 block of Rahway Rd. on a report of a structure fire. Upon arrival they found the home engulfed in flames. The surrounding roads were closed to traffic and The Scotch Plains Fire Department as well as the Fanwood, Westfield and other mutual aid fire departments responded. The fire was brought under control but the home suffered severe structural damage and was deemed uninhabitable. The resident suffered minor smoke inhalation and was checked by the Scotch Plains Rescue Squad. The Red Cross was contacted and responded to provide assistance to the homeowner. PSE&G and Elizabethtown Gas also responded to shut off the utilities to the home.

On Aug. 12: Ahmid D. Landrun, 26, of Hillside was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana during a motor vehicle stop conducted by Patrolman Mike Baltazar and Gerard Rites. He was transported to
headquarters and processed.

On Aug. 14: Caroline Neno, 24, of Elizabeth was arrested and charged with driving under the influence during a suspicious vehicle investigation conducted by Patrolman Dave Belford. She was transported to headquarters and processed.

On Aug. 15: A resident in the 300 block of Sycamore Ave. reported a car burglary. Someone entered the victim’s vehicle overnight and removed cash. Under investigation.

On Aug. 16: A resident on Raritan Rd. reported a fraud. Someone gained access to the victim’s bank information and made several unauthorized transactions. Under investigation.

On Aug. 16: Renzo Zavala-Obeso, 32, of Edison was arrested on outstanding warrants out of Scotch Plains, South Plainfield and Green Brook during a motor vehicle stop conducted by Patrolman Joe Mirabile and Joe Kostecki. He was transported to headquarters and processed.

On Aug. 18: Dante R. Purdue, 26, of Scotch Plains was arrested on an outstanding warrant out of the Atlantic County Sheriff’s Department during a disturbance call at his residence by Patrolman Bryan Frew.
He was transported to headquarters and processed.

On Aug. 19: Carlos M. Fernandez-Fernandez, 53, of Newark was arrested on an outstanding warrant out of Newark during a motor vehicle stop conducted by Patrolman Chris Ostrowski. He was transported to headquarters and processed.

(Image via Shutterstock)

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.

Get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our new app. Download here.