Jan. 1
Two criminally-related incidents marred New Year’s Day observance in the township.
At 1:48 p.m. the owner of a car parked in the 1300 block of Wall St. called police after seeing someone in the vehicle who then ran through a residential parking garage.
Police discovered that the car’s ignition had been damaged and various personal items had been taken from the vehicle.
After getting a description of the intruder from the car owner, officers located a man matching that description inside the Wall St. apartment complex. Police said they recovered the missing items from the man they captured. John Sweeney, 29, of Lyndhurst, was charged with burglary, theft, criminal mischief, possession of burglar tools (a screwdriver) and possession of drugs (valium). He was released on bail pending a court date.
Earlier in the day, at 12:52 a.m., police responded to the Wendy’s restaurant on Ridge Road where a vendor making a delivery who had opened the door spotted a man inside the eatery.
The man fled from the store but after getting his description from the deliveryman, police found him on Valley Brook Ave.
Gabriel Martinez, 39, of Lyndhurst, was issued a summons charging him with criminal trespass. Police said they detected an odor of alcohol from Martinez who, they surmise, had wandered into the eatery after it was opened.
He was released pending a court appearance on the summons.
Dec. 31
Someone apparently tried to break into a 2012 Infiniti while it was parked in the 600 block of Riverside Ave. and damaged the door lock, but nothing was apparently taken from the vehicle, according to police. The incident was logged at 4:43 p.m.
Dec. 30
Another incident involving criminal mischief to an auto, also parked in the 600 block of Riverside Ave., was reported at 11 a.m. Police said the door lock on a 2012 Ford Mustang was damaged but nothing was reported missing from the vehicle.
Dec. 29
An unknown vandal threw paint on the rear door of a day care establishment in the 200 block of Ridge Road, police said. The incident was reported at 11 a.m. Police responded to Milburn and Fern Aves. at 2:22 a.m. on a report of a dispute in the roadway. They said they found two men fighting. The alleged combatants, Mark Isabella, 21, of Kearny, and John Bratowicz, 21, of North Arlington, were given summonses charging them with disorderly conduct and were released pending court appearances.
Dec. 28
At 10 p.m. police responded to an apartment in the 500 block of Ridge Road on a report of a burglary. Police said they found signs of forced entry. Jewelry of unknown value was taken, police said.
