A call about a theft in progress in an industrial area of Kearny the morning of Saturday, May 4, led to the arrest of two local men on both burglary and drug charges, Kearny police reported.
At 8:10 a.m., Officers Tom Bannon and Vanessa Sevillano responded to a report of individuals apparently stealing scrap metal on Sellers St., off the Belleville Pike.
While en route, the officers spotted a car fitting the description of the suspects’ leaving the area, and Bannon stopped it on the Pike.
Bannon recognized both occupants from “past police contact,” KPD Chief John Dowie said, and while scanning the car reportedly noticed several tools that could be used in a theft, along with a cigarette pack with a small plastic bag containing a white powdery substance.
After the suspects were asked to exit the vehicle, Bannon reportedly found 13 glassine folds of suspected heroin.
Sevillano, who had meanwhile confirmed the theft, radioed that a representative of the Sellers St. company reported that the suspects had been attempting to force open a side door.
Arrested were Kevin Flanagan, 37, of Lyndhurst, and John Teixeira, 42, of Kearny, both of whom were charged with: burglary, theft by unlawful taking, possession of burglar tools, possession of heroin and possession of cocaine.
Teixeira was ordered held on $50,000 bail; Flanagan, on $25,000. They were remanded to the Hudson County Jail.
Other recent reports from the Kearny police blotter included the following:
May 3
At noon, P.O. John Grimm responded to a report of a man begging in the Walmart/Wawa parking lot, an individual who had been the subject of a similar complaint the day before and who had been let go with a warning, police said. Grimm asked for identification for the purpose of issuing a town summons, since Kearny prohibits “begging for alms,” and was allegedly handed a fradulent driver’s license.
Arrested for providing a false government document was Marian Unguru, 28, of Irvington. His bail was set at $2,500 and immigration officials were notified since there was some question about his residency, Chief Dowie said.
• At 5 p.m., at Devon St. and Columbia Ave., the Vice Squad observed a parked white Mercedes with a passenger who appeared to be smoking marijuana. After the officers approached on foot to confirm this, the passenger turned over a prescription bottle containing pot, police said. Charged with possession of marijuana and paraphernalia was 23-year-old Troy Sweatnam of Kearny.
May 4
At 6 p.m., P.O. Pat Becker approached a man who appeared to be going doorto- door on the 300 block of Highland Ave. The individual reportedly claimed he was canvassing for an energy company but was unable to produce a permit. Police said Becker did a warrant check and found that the man — Jasper Statham, 44, of Bayonne — was wanted on five warrants out of four jurisdictions: two from Bayonne and one each from Newark, Saddle River and Paterson. Statham was arrested on those warrants.
May 6
Members of the Vice Squad were in another jurisdiction on an unrelated investigation when they observed an individual they knew to be wanted apparently taking part in a drug transaction, police reported. The officers saw the man board a Kearny-bound bus, followed it, and when the bus stopped in Kearny, boarded it and confronted him.
The suspect, Jonathan Chojnacki, 22, of Lyndhurst, was allegedly found to be in possession of heroin, stamped “Cookout.” He was charged with possession of heroin, possession of paraphernalia and being under the influence of heroin.
May 7
Sgt. Paul Bershefski, on patrol at Kearny Ave. and Dukes St. at 12:30 pm., saw an individual he knew to be the subject of an outstanding Kearny warrant, confirmed this, and arrested 37-year-old Kearny resident Danny Batista, police said. After he was taken to headquarters, he reportedly was found to also be wanted by the Hudson County Sheriff and was turned over to that office.
• P.O. John Fabula, on patrol at Passaic and Linden Aves. at 6:15 pm., spotted a man walking on Passaic whom he knew had been “repeatedly arrested” in Kearny on shoplifting and robbery charges, Chief Dowie said. Fabula did a warrant check and reportedly found that the individual had an active warrant out of Belleville. The suspect, Jose Rodriguez, 39, of Newark, was arrested and taken to KPD headquarters, and Belleville authorities were notified.
• Pursuant to an ongoing investigation, the Vice Squad was in the area of Kearny Ave. and Liberty St. at 6:30 p.m. when they observed what they believed to be a drug transaction. When the officers confronted the suspected customer, he reportedly admitted he had just bought marijuana. The alleged seller was found to be in possession of five additional bags of the drug, police said.
Charged with possession of marijuana, distribution of same, and distribution in a school zone and within 500 feet of a public library was Hector Colon, 26, of Kearny. His bail was set at $7,500. The alleged customer, identified as Luther Bass, 21, of Kearny, was released on summonses for possession of pot and paraphernalia.
— Karen Zautyk
