Stolen cars/keys at Signature Fitness, Belleville
For the convenience of its members, the Signature Fitness gym at 471 Cortlandt St. provides a basket where they can leave their car keys while taking their workouts. On February 27, three sets of car keys were stolen from the basket. Of those three, two were used to steal cars parked outside. The missing cars are a white 2012 Honda Accord with temporary license plates, and a black 2007 Mazda 6 4-door. Police are investigating.
In other Belleville happenings:
March 2
At 12:51 a.m., officers noticed a vehicle stopped in the middle of Cortlandt St., with a person standing beside the passenger door. After making a hand signal to the driver, the man got into the vehicle. It then performed a U-Turn and sped off. Suspicious, police stopped the car and spoke with the driver. They noticed numerous cans of spray paint and an art binder in the vehicle, the latter of which carried “graffiti tags” on its cover. After returning to the spot where the car was originally parked, they noticed a wall with fresh blue paint markings on it. They also noticed blue paint smudges on the hands of the two men. The driver, Sean M. Raybeck, 22, of Wallington was charged with criminal mischief and issued motor vehicle summonses for careless driving and driving without a license. The passenger, 19-year-old Kevin Sanchez of Paterson was charged with criminal mischief. Both men were released on their own recognizance.
February 27,
A car was reported stolen from 85 Tappan Ave. at 8:00 p.m. A man stated that he parked his wife’s silver 1996 4-door Honda Civic at the address and stayed at his sister’s house located on the same block. When he returned for the car it was gone.
February 26
A woman walking along Belleville Ave. where it intersects with Delavan Ave. noticed a car pull up beside her at 11:54 a.m. The male driver asked her, “Do you know where the library is?” After giving him directions she continued on her walk. Shortly thereafter he pulled beside her again, ostensibly to ask for more directions. This time, however, he said, “What do you think?” as he exposed his genitals to the woman. Shaken by what had just occurred, she ran off and called police. The man, being sought for lewdness and attempted luring is described as medium/heavy set, 20-30 years of age with a “young looking” face. He was wearing a dark jacket and jeans and driving a silver 4-door vehicle.
Stephen D. Bryant, 39, of Maplewood was arrested for outstanding warrants after his motor vehicle was stopped at Newark Ave. and Cuzo St. at 10:52. Bryant carried a $624 warrant out of Totowa, and a $600 warrant from Pequannock. He was released on his own recognizance on one warrant, and paid bail on the other.
Another warrant arrest occurred at 10:58 a.m. at 162 Franklin St. when police saw a suspicious man “pacing and looking through fences.” It was learned that Luis A. Martinez, 51, of Newark carried an outstanding no-bail warrant from the Essex County Sheriff’s Dept.
At 1:50 p.m., a female manager stopped a man who was spotted putting cases of formula into a black bag at the Belmont Ave. Pathmark as he attempted to exit the store. He shouted, “I’m just letting you know I’m not going!” as he ran off and hopped into a waiting car. The man is described as white, 5’6” tall, 170 lbs. with brown eyes.
February 25
At 12:24 p.m., a 9mm handgun accidentally discharged at the Bullet Hole indoor shooting range, striking a man in his leg. The unidentified victim said that just after firing a round, the burning hot shell casing landed on his leg. As he went to remove it, the gun accidentally fired. Luckily, his injuries appeared to be minor. He was taken to University Hospital in Newark and released the same day.
