At about 10 p.m. on Sept. 11, Nutley police arrested 48-year-old Martin Lucas of Newark in connection with a drug transaction.
Police said detectives conducting surveillance observed Lucas driving a 1999 Mercury SUV at Vreeland and Hillside Aves. and spotted a woman known to use narcotics walk up to the vehicle and allegedly make a transaction.
Police said detectives approached the car and saw a bag containing suspected crack cocaine in close proximity to the driver.
Lucas was taken into custody and charged with possession of CDS and distribution of CDS.
He was taken to Essex County Jail after failing to post $25,000 bail, pending a court appearance.
Police said they learned that Lucas also had three outstanding warrants from Newark and one from Nutley totaling nearly $2,000.
Police said the woman, who was not in possession of drugs at the time of Lucas’s arrest, was not charged.
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A Nutley man has been linked by police to two crimes committed in the township within an eight-day period.
On Aug. 14, police said a woman parked her car at an E. Centre St. location momentarily to drop off a family member. As she was entering an apartment, a young man passed her. She went inside and immediately turned back to her car, only to find the young man inside, allegedly taking her purse and then leaving the vehicle.
Police said the woman then ran after him until she confronted him near the Washington Ave. intersection where the man dropped the purse and ran away.
After the incident, detectives reviewed a tape taken from a private surveillance camera in the area of the incident to help get a description of the suspect.
Then, police said, on Aug. 26, a man with a similar description allegedly entered a new business on E. Centre St. and removed more than $500 from the cash register.
Detectives investigating both incidents positively identified the man as Fernando Acosta, 19, of Nutley.
Acosta was arrested and charged with burglary to auto and theft from the auto and theft at the business. He was ordered held at Essex County Jail on $30,000 bail, pending court action.
Martin Lucas.
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During the past week, Nutley PD responded to 10 medical calls, 20 motor vehicle accidents, 11 suspicious incidents and 13 disputes, plus the following activities logged:
Sept. 13
A Washington Ave. resident reported the theft of a black iPhone. The resident told police they allowed an acquaintance the use of the phone but never got it back.
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The owner of a vehicle parked on Park Ave. told police that when they returned to the car in the morning, they discovered that someone had tried to pry open the driver’s side door but couldn’t get inside.
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An Oak St. resident reported being victimized by credit card fraud. The resident told police that someone had obtained their Social Security number and fraudulently opened accounts at Express, Victoria’s Secret and Mandee and that they’d received three credit cards and a bill for $748 from Victoria’s Secret charged on Sept. 2.
Someone left a bag of candy on the front porch of a Chestnut St. resident’s home, the owner told police. An unknown party has left candy six times within the past six months, the owner said.
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An Ernest St. resident reported that within the last three weeks, someone had stolen their green metal filing cabinet, valued at $100, from their driveway.
Sept. 15
A man drove up to a Centre St. business and swiped a bundle of 50 Star Ledger newspapers, valued at $50, from the curb
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After observing an individual walking through side streets and appearing lost, police said they learned that the man, Enrique Garcia, 22, of North Bergen, was wanted on warrants from North Bergen and West New York. Garcia was released to the Hudson County Sheriff’s Department.
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Police responded to an abandoned Funston Place residence after receiving a call about three males seen exiting a black pickup truck and entering the house. Upon arrival, police said they saw a man standing next to a black Chevy pickup. The man told them two other men were inside and police escorted them out. The three told police they worked for Safeguard Properties and were there to winterize the house and produced valid paperwork confirming that information. However, police said one of the three men, Harold B. Williams, 56, of Elizabeth, was found to have an outstanding warrant from Linden. He was turned over to Elizabeth PD.
Sept. 17
After getting a report of a woman wearing a white sweater and carrying a large bag suspected of shoplifting at a Harrison St. drug store, police went to the location and spotted a woman matching the description. Police said the woman had on her person proceeds from the alleged shoplifting incident with a total value of $78. Carmen Richardson, 36, of Newark, was charged with shoplifting. Police said she also had an outstanding warrant from Verona. She was released to Verona PD.
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A Bloomfield Ave. resident reported that someone removed a folding work table, a full bucket of copper wire, aluminum cans, screens, weights, A/C unites and an animal trap from their property. Total value of the missing items was listed as $950. Detectives are investigating.
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A Kingsland Ave. resident told police that upon returning home, they found that someone had smashed their butane grill lighter, which is kept on the outside window sill on their back porch. A piece of the broken lighter was found wedged into the awning of the 8-foot-high back porch.
Sept. 18
A motor vehicle investigation involving someone known to have an active warrant from Wildwood Crest resulted in the arrest of Frank DiLiberto, 20, of Nutley, on charges of possession of marijuana under 50 grams and resisting arrest. He was released pending a court date.
– Ron Leir
