Detectives are investigating a burglary to a Park Ave. residence reported by one of the occupants at 3:22 p.m. Upon arrival, police said they found that someone had pried open the common door to the apartment building along with the interior door to two units and had rummaged through one unit’s bedroom drawers.
Feb. 14
At 1:15 p.m. Nutley High School officials reported the thefts of two cellular phones and a wallet, taken from the gym area. Police are investigating. At 8:24 a.m. police responded to a Milton Ave. location on a report of damage to a vehicle whose owner told officers that someone had keyed the driver and passenger side doors, hood and trunk while the vehicle was parked in the driveway sometime after 9 p.m. the prior evening.
Feb. 13
A Brookline Ave. resident told police that a pager valued at about $400 they’d ordered had arrived in their mailbox that day but that it had been ripped open and the item wasn’t in the package. The theft report was logged at 4:21 p.m.
Feb. 12
At 10:40 p.m. police responded to a Hopper Ave. location on a report of criminal mischief to a parked vehicle whose owner said a gray 4-door vehicle eastbound on Hopper drove past his car and someone hit it with what looked to be a mop handle, leaving scratch marks on the hood, before turning south onto Parallel St.
At 3:59 p.m. the parent of a middle school eighth-grader reported the theft of the 14-year-old’s phone from the teen’s locker. The school was notified of the incident and police entered the phone’s serial number and description in a stolen-item database.
Feb. 11
At 2:24 p.m. police issued a summons to a Park Ave. property owner for failing to shovel the sidewalk in front of the residence. Local ordinance requires property owners to remove snow from their sidewalks within 36 hours after a storm, police said.
At 1:06 p.m. a Brookline Ave. resident called police to report a burglary to their auto. The owner told police they’d parked the vehicle in their driveway overnight and after returning the next morning, found the driver’s side door lock damaged and the contents of the vehicle thrown around. Nothing appeared to be missing, police said.
At 2:41 a.m. police responded to Bloomfield and Kingsland Aves. on a report of a blue 4-door vehicle leaving the scene of an accident. Police said the vehicle went through the intersection and struck a small median in front of a gate and hit the gate’s control arm, blowing out the tires on the driver’s side, and was last seen westbound on Kingsland. When the vehicle got to Bloomfield, police there reportedly detected a strong odor of suspected alcohol coming from the driver. That individual, Eric Williams, 25, of Montclair, was ticketed for DUI, careless driving, suspended driver’s license and leaving the scene of an accident. He also was charged with possession of drugs (a small bag of suspected marijuana) and possession in a motor vehicle.
Feb. 10
Shortly before midnight, police said theytracked via radar a silver 2013 Chevrolet, traveling southbound on Rt. 21, doing 83 mph. After stopping the vehicle in Belleville, police said the driver couldn’t produce any paperwork. They said they found a “failure to appear” notice addressed to a Lafon Brown of Rutherford from Rutherford Municipal Court on the vehicle’s passenger seat. Police said the driver told them the notice was for his brother but, when asked his ID, police said the driver told them he was Lafon Brown of Rutherford. Brown was subsequently issued summonses charging him with speeding, driving while suspended, and failure to possess a license and registration. Police said Brown also had active warrants from Hackensack and Rutherford. After posting bail, he was released pending court appearances.
At 3:12 p.m. police went to a Harrison St. location on a report of a damaged telephone pole. Police said a vehicle had struck the pole. Police found debris and glass from a vehicle on the ground but couldn’t identify the vehicle.
