Kearny police are investigating a break-in at a local business where a burglar made off with a reported $18,000 worth of goods. Jewelry? Liquor? Lottery tickets? Try soybean oil. Apparently there’s a black market for everything.
On Sunday, Aug. 11, at 6:40 p.m., Det. Ray Lopez responded to a Sanford Ave. address where Officer Sean Kelly had found that a truck had smashed through the main gate of a closed plant. The company truck, with its motor running and the key in the ignition, had apparently been stolen and used intentionally to break down the barrier.
With the cooperation of management, further investigation led to the discovery that the building on the property had been entered, apparently by someone familiar with the operations of the business, police said. The culprit had attempted to cover the security cameras and had used a forklift and a pallet jack to remove the goods, all that of soybean oil.
Police said Lopez developed a suspect, identified as Dean White, 50, of Irvington. Three warrants have been issued for White’s arrest for: burglary and theft of the merchandise, burglary and theft of a motor vehicle, and criminal mischief.
Other recent reports from the KPD blotter included the following:
Aug. 8
At 1 p.m., Sgt. Robert Maguire and Officer Tom Bannon went to the 100 block of Devon St. when a resident reported a man lurking behind her house. After finding an individual fitting the description, the cops ran a warrant check and arrested Alexander Harkes, 29, of Kearny, on a $1,000 warrant out of Newark.
At 9:45 p.m., patrol units were dispatched to a gas station at Kearny and Linden Aves. where the attendant had reported being threatened by a man with a gun.
According to the report, a man driving a newer-model black Mercedes had the car filled with $70 worth of premium fuel and then said he had no money. When he asked if he could leave and bring the $70 back later, he was told no, but was welcome to use the ATM. At that point, he allegedly drew a small, shortbarreled revolver and pointed it at the attendant, who ran for safety when the driver was momentarily distracted. The gunman was last seen fleeing south on Kearny Ave.
Det. Scott Traynor and Det. John Telle are investigating, have viewed security videos and also have learned that a similar vehicle has been involved in several Newark crimes and is actively being sought by police there.
Aug. 9
After being alerted to suspicious activity, the Vice Unit placed a vehicle under surveillance on Beech St. near Kearny Ave. at 4:30 p.m. and witnessed what appeared to be a hand-to-hand drug transaction. As the officers approached on foot, they reportedly witnessed the driver trying to place money in the center console and saw two “very large” bags of suspected marijuana at the feet of the passenger.
They confiscated more than $1,600 in cash and more than 240 grams of suspected pot, police said.
The driver/alleged dealer, Darryl Mitchell, 28, of East Orange, was charged with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, manufacturing and/or distributing the drug, distribution near a school and park and possession of a CDS in a motor vehicle.
The alleged customer, Kyle Romero, 30, of Kearny, was charged with possession of more than 50 grams of the drug, possession of paraphernalia, possession with intent to distribute, and intent near a school/park.
Aug. 10
Sgt. Anthony Limite and Officer Pat Becker were sent to Belgrove Drive and Woodland Ave. at 8:45 p.m. on the report of a dispute and arrived to find a man and woman arguing. The male, described as “very confrontational,” was found to be wanted on an outstanding criminal-mischief warrant from Passaic and was charged and taken to headquarters, where he remained uncooperative, police said. He was identified as 36-yearold Kearny resident Marlon Sunley.
Officers Sean Kelly and Barry Green were on patrol in South Kearny at 10:07 p.m. when they responded to an accident at Pennsylvania and Jacobus Aves. They found that a car had driven through a fence, apparently at a high rate of speed, knocked over a phone pole and was now entangled in the fence and stuck atop the downed pole.
Although the area was well-lit and there was nothing to obstruct a motorist’s view, the driver could not explain what had happened, police said. He also allegedly had slurred speech and carried about his person the odor of alcohol.
A tow truck was summoned to remove the car, and the driver, Carlos Moreno, 57, of Kearny, was taken to HQ for an Alcotest and was charged with DWI, reckless driving, driving on/across a sidewalk, and driving on/ across a sidewalk at an unsafe speed.
Aug. 11
At 4 a.m., Officer Jay Ward spotted a speeding car on Schuyler Ave., followed it to Quincy Ave. and then Davis Ave., where it was stopped. A random MDC check returned a hit on the owner/operator, and Ward confirmed that the individual had a total of $5,000 in outstanding warrants from Kearny Municipal Court, police said. Charged on those warrants and with careless driving and failure to notify the DMV of an address change was Carlos Crincev, 33, of Kearny.
Aug. 12
After seeing someone secreting himself in an alley at Belgrove Drive and Rose St. at 8:30 p.m., the Vice Squad waited for him to emerge and then questioned him, and allegedly detected the odor of marijuana. Police said Michael Petrozzino, 21, of Kearny turned over a plastic bag containing pot and was charged with possession of the drug and of paraphernalia.
Aug. 14
At 11 a.m., Officer Cesar Negron responded to a report by a 17-year-old girl that a man had just exposed himself to her at Hoyt St. and Schuyler Ave. Negron got a description of the suspect and his direction of flight, and Dets. Mark McCaffery and Michael Farinola interviewed her and developed a suspect. Taken into custody on a charge of lewdness was Michael Echevestre, 22, of Kearny. He was subsequently charged with a second count after police reportedly linked him to a similar incident on Feb. 19 at Davis Ave. and Dukes St. That complainant was also a 17-year-old girl.
– Karen Zautyk
