Police Blotter: Assault, Theft, Stolen Cars Recovered

A car was stolen while parked on Pleasant Valley Way Sunday, police said. The 2007 Cadillac Escalade was later recovered in Newark on Feb. 13.

A party at Essex House Restaurant in West Orange was shut down Friday, police said. According to the incident report, police responded to the restaurant on a report of a disturbance and found a large group inside the venue and in the parking lot being unruly and loud. The owner told police the event was hosted by Kean College and roughly 350 people had attended. The Essex County Sheriff's Office, Livingston Police, Orange Police and Verona Police arrived on scene to assist in dispersing the crowd.

A car was stolen while parked in a parking lot on Eagle Rock Avenue last week, police said. The owner told police the car was locked with an alarm. A $100 GPS was also taken. Police recovered the vehicle in Newark later that day.

An apartment on Chestnut Street in West Orange was allegedly burglarized last week, police said. The owner told police a laptop worth $2,000 was taken as well as $100 in cash.

The driver's side of a 2005 Volkswagen was allegedly smashed with a large rock last week, police said. The car was parked on Hazel Avenue. Officials said nothing was missing from the car and entry to the vehicle was not gained.

A similar incident of criminal mischief occurred on the corner of Pine Street and Wellington, police said. A parked and unlocked 1998 Cadillac was found with a minor nick in the rear driver side window, according to the incident report. The owner of the car told police nothing was missing from his vehicle. Police recovered a large piece of concrete lying next to the car.

A woman walking down Main Street last week allegedly had her purse stolen from her, police said.  Around 3:15 a.m. the woman said a skinny dark-skinned man apparently came up to her from the back and removed her red clutch from under her arm. She told police she saw him enter a dark green Land Rover and flee.

Two high school students were involved in a physical altercation last Friday in the school hallway, police said. According to the incident report, a 16-year-old student was walking down the hallway when a 17-year-old student lunged at the 16 year old and struck him in the head. The fight was eventually broken up by other students, officials said. The 16-year-old student sustained swelling under his left ear, over his right eye, a possible broken nose and a possible concussion. The other student sustained minor scratches to his face, a possible concussion and a possible broken hand, according to the report. Both were taken to Saint Barnabas Hospital.