Just before midnight on March 11, security at Walmart reported to Kearny police that they were hunting for a shoplifter in the store’s parking lot. KPD headquarters notified patrol units. First to arrive at the scene was Sgt. Michael O’Neill, who saw a man attempting to conceal himself underneath a parked vehicle, police said.
After being ordered from his hiding place, the suspect stood up and, right in front of the officer, tried to discard a clear plastic bag containing suspected marijuana, Chief John Dowie reported.
Issack Perez, 32, of Newark, was subsequently charged with possession of the drug and drug paraphernalia — and also with shoplifting. According to security, he had tried to steal two television sets and some coffee, worth a total of $745.
Other recent reports from the KPD blotter included the following:
March 8
At 3:45 a.m., Officer Chris Medina came upon a car, its engine running, stopped in the middle of Beech St. near Midland Ave. The driver, police said, was sound asleep behind the wheel. After field sobriety tests, and an Alcotest at HQ , 42-year-old Jorge Nobre of Kearny was charged with DWI, DWI in a school zone, and obstructing other vehicles.
March 9
Officer Ben Wuelfing was on patrol on Bergen Ave. near Kearny Ave. at 5:30 a.m. when an eastbound car with Illinois plates reportedly passed him at a high rate of speed, with its headlights off. When Wuelfing stopped the vehicle, the driver produced a New Jersey license that turned out to be suspended, police said, and was allegedly found to be in possession of a small plastic bag of suspected cocaine. Pedro Carmenate, 21, of Hillside was charged criminally with possession of coke and drug paraphernalia and with being under the influence of a CDS. He was also given motor vehicle summonses for: careless driving; DWI; possession of a CDS in a motor vehicle; driving while suspended; driving an unregistered vehicle, and having fictitious plates.
March 10
At 10:20 p.m., Vice Unit detectives were at Kearny and Johnston Aves. when they spotted Frank Sullivan, 38, of Harrison, whom they confirmed to be the subject of an outstanding warrant from the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office, police said. Sullivan was also reportedly in possession of a small bottle of liquid that proved to be ketamine. He was charged on the warrant and with possession of the drug and drug paraphernalia.
March 11
At 2:40 p.m, Officer Brian Wisely was on the 500 block of Elm St. when he saw Michael Boguszewski, 21, of Kearny, whom he confirmed to be the subject of an outstanding Kearny warrant, police said. Boguszewski was also allegedly found to be in possession of a pen apparently altered for the ingestion of a CDS. He was charged on the warrant and with possession of drug paraphernalia.
Vice detectives, on the 100 block of Tappan St. at 6:15 p.m., observed a pedestrian, Luis Vargas, 28, of Kearny, with whom they were familiar and who appeared to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, police said. After they approached him, he allegedly gave them a fictitious name, but they knew it to be false, and a check revealed he was wanted by Orange on a $50,000 warrant for terroristic threats, police said. Vargas was charged on that warrant and with hindering apprehension.
March 12
At 5:40 p.m., a merchant on the 700 block of Kearny Ave. reported that a man had entered her establishment and asked to use the restroom, and when told it was not for public use, walked outside and smashed the front window. Officer Brian Wisely and Sgt. Anthony Limite searched the area and found 35-yearold Newark resident Sterling Crawford, who was police said was identified as the culprit. Crawford was charged with criminal mischief.
–Karen Zautyk
