Burglary Suspects Arrested in Cedar Grove

Updated 5 p.m.

Two men were arrested in Cedar Grove Friday afternoon after a pair of eagle-eyed residents alerted the police that two suspicious men were lurking around their neighbors' houses, police said.

Chief Richard Vanderstreet said in an interview that shortly after noon, a resident reported two suspicious men in the area of Young Avenue, who she saw ring the doorbell of her across-the-street neighbor's home, then walk down the driveway when no one answered the door.

As officers headed to the scene, a second call came in from a resident on nearby Myrtle Avenue, where a resident said she saw the same two men attempting to open windows at the back of her neighbor's house before entering through the back door, Vanderstreet said.

As officers pulled up to the home and spotted the suspects, one pushed his way past the officers and was soon after apprehended on Myrtle Avenue after a perimeter was set up between neighboring police departments. The second suspect, Vanderstreet said, ran back inside the house, where he was arrested.

The suspects were identified as Eric M. Medina, 18, of Bloomfield, and Rashod D. Evans, 20, of East Orange. Vanderstreet said it is still under investigation whether the men in custody are connected to any other recent burglaries in the area.

Vanderstreet, who frequently urges residents to be vigilant, and to report suspicious activity to the police, said today's arrests were a textbook example of what can happen when residents keep an eye out for their neighbors.

"We always tell people: if you see something suspicious like this, call us. In this particular case, the residents on both sides did the right thing by calling us. Without the cooperation of those residents, we may not have been able to catch these guys," he said.

Both suspects were found to be in possession of property they had stolen from the home. Medina and Evans were charged with burglary, theft and conspiracy. Evans was additionally charged with aggravated assault on a police officer (pushing an officer as he attempted to escape) and resisting arrest. Both subjects are currently being held in the Cedar Grove Municipal Jail pending processing and the setting of bail. A number of surrounding police departments and the Essex County Sheriff’s Department assisted in the investigation.