Kearny police are investigating two burglaries that occurred last week, one to an East Midland Ave. apartment, the second to a Madison Ave. home.
Police said the first was reported at 4 p.m. Monday, June 3, by P.O. Brian Wisely after a door in the East Midland Ave. building was discovered pried open. A laptop computer and jewelry were said to be missing.
Det. Scott Traynor, doing the follow-up investigation, interviewed building residents who described a man, not a resident, who had been seen on the premises earlier.
Police Chief John Dowie said detectives have identified a possible suspect, “a known career criminal who is currently being sought in connection with similar burglaries in surrounding jurisdictions.”
The suspect, a 45-year-old Elizabeth man, has an outstanding warrant from that city, the chief noted.
On Wednesday, June 5, P.O. Jay Ward was dispatched to the Madison Ave. address at 6:15 p.m. after a homeowner returned to her residence and found the back door window broken. Police said entry had been made into the house, closets and dresser drawers had been opened and a jewelry box emptied.
Det. Traynor is conducting the investigation.
Other recent reports from the KPD blotter included the following:
May 31
P.O. Rich Carbone was at Kearny and Bergen Aves. at 6 p.m. when he reportedly detected a strong odor of marijuana emanating from a passing car. The driver parked in the area, and Carbone approached and advised him of his suspicions. While interviewing the motorist, police said, Carbone saw, in plain view, a cigar “commonly associated with marijuana use,” several partially smoked marijuana cigarettes and an empty plastic bag. Closer inspection reportedly revealed a second plastic bag that appeared to contain pot.
The driver, a 17-year-old from Belleville, was charged with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia and was also issued a summons for operating a motor vehicle while in possession of a CDS. He was released to the custody of his parents.
June 1
At 11:15 a.m., P.O. Rich Pawlowski and Sgt. Mike Cardella responded to Lincoln School on the report of a trespasser on the grounds. They took into custody Shaeed Epps, 35, of no known address, who was charged with defiant trespass. Police said Epps also had an outstanding warrant from Elizabeth. He was sent to the county jail. (Observer readers may recognize the suspect’s name, since he has made previous appearances in the KPD blotter. Asked why he keeps resurfacing in Kearny, we were told, “He said he likes the town.”)
June 2
At 3:45 p.m., P.O. Frank West was at Chestnut St. and Bergen Ave., where traffic was being detoured, when he witnessed a car with New York dealer plates drive around the barricade. After West stopped the vehicle and requested the driver’s paperwork, that driver, identified as Sadraque DaSilveira, 28, of Newark, was charged with: driving with a suspended license; driving on a closed roadway; having fictitious plates; driving an unregistered vehicle; driving an uninsured vehicle, and failure to present a driver’s license.
June 6
P.O. Sean Kelly, on patrol at Elm St. and Bergen Ave. at 7 p.m., observed a suspicious individual leave the vicinity of one parked car and approach another, police said. When the officer inquired as to the behavior, the man reportedly said he was searching for a misplaced vehicle. Kelly ran a warrant check and found that the individual, Jonathan Roman, 29, of Kearny, was wanted by Union Township, Elizabeth and (under another name) by Newark, police said. He was taken into custody and held for other authorities on the warrants.
At 7:30 p.m., P.O. Jay Ward, patrolling at Davis and Bergen Aves., spotted a 22-yearold Kearny resident, Henry Berrocal, who he was aware was the subject of drug-related warrants out of Harrison, police said. After verifying the information, Ward arrested the suspect and transported him to HQ , where he was held for bail.
June 7
P.O. Tom Sumowski was on patrol on the Belleville Pike at 3:45 a.m. when he found a 1998 BMW, its driver’s door open, stopped in the roadway on the curve below Schuyler Ave. Approaching the car, the officer saw someone in the driver’s seat and detected a strong odor of alcohol, police said. He also noted there appeared to be fresh damage along the driver’s side of the vehicle. Questioned, the driver reportedly told the officer he thought he had hit a rock. Other officers searched the area, but could not find any object or other vehicle that might have been hit.
The driver, Joshua Gonzalez, 20, of Kearny, was charged with DWI, DWI under age 21, and careless driving. The BMW was towed from the scene, but what it had struck was still undetermined.
At 9:20 p.m., Officers Chris Levchak and Pat Becker responded to a report of an armed robbery at a warehouse on Pennsylvania Ave. in South Kearny.
Police said the victim, who reportedly was cashing checks at the site and carrying $10,000 in cash, was held up by a man armed with a silver handgun. The victim turned over some, but not all, of the 10G, police said.
The bandit was said to have fled in a gray BMW with Pennsylvania plates, but the number provided was not valid, Chief Dowie reported.
Det. Sgt. John View and Det. Ray Lopez are conducting the follow-up investigation.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the KPD at 201-998-1313.
– Karen Zautyk
