HARRISON –
A mugging, armed robbery and a drug arrest occupied the attention of the Harrison Police Department late last month.
Early Tuesday, Jan. 24, two Harrison residents, both 25, came into police headquarters to report they were victims of an armed robbery.
One of the victims told police they were walking west on Hamilton St. near N. Third St., at about 11:30 p.m., Monday, Jan. 23, when a male approached them from the south side of the street.
The male pointed a silver semi-automatic handgun at the head of one of the victims and demanded his Samsung Galaxy cell phone, valued at $700, and wallet, containing his school ID, a British driver’s license, a debit card and $10 cash, the victim told police.
After collecting those items, the gunman then pointed the gun at the other victim and asked for – and got – his $200 T-Mobile cell phone and wallet, which had two credit cards, a New Jerseydriver’s license and $5 cash, police said.
The gunman was described as a heavy-set black man, between 6 feet and 6-foot-2 tall, wearing all black clothes and a black ski mask.
A check of the area yielded no suspect, police said.
At 2:16 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 22, officers responded to a report of a man down at William and N. Third Sts.
At the location, police said they found the victim, a 53-year-old East Newark man, lying on the sidewalk and bleeding from his mouth.
With the help of an officer translating, the victim told officers he was walking home on N. Third St. near William St. when he was approached by a male who punched him in the face, threw him to the ground and continued to punch and kick him.
His attacker then took the man’s iPhone 5, valued at $200, and wallet, containing $200 cash and Ecuador identification, and left on foot in an unknown direction, the victim told police.
The suspect was described as black, of thin build and wearing all black.
Police said MONOC EMS responded and transported the victim to St. Michael’s Hospital, Newark, for treatment of a cut to the inside of his mouth and pronounced swelling to his right ankle.
Patrol units checked the area but could find no one matching the attacker’s description, police said.
Earlier that morning, at about 1:12 a.m., Officer Mark Silva, while on patrol, observed a 2016 four-door blue Nissan driving erratically at Harrison Ave. and First St., police said.
After pulling over the vehicle and asking the driver for paperwork, Silva reportedly detected a strong odor of raw marijuana coming from the vehicle.
Silva then ordered the driver out of the car – where he remained with backup Officer Albert Pearson – and conducted a search inside where, police said, he found on the driver’s side floorboard, a Ziploc bag containing seven plastic baggies of green leafy vegetation believed to be marijuana and several individual unused plastic baggies.
A search of the driver incident to his arrest showed that he was in possession of a Zipoc bag also containing suspected marijuana, found in the pocket of his black hooded sweater, police said.
The driver, Shinar Houseton, 29, of Newark, was arrested on charges of possession of CDS and of drug paraphernalia and on a $350 ATS (Automated Traffic System) warrant from Newark and given tickets charging him with possession of CDS in a motor vehicle, careless driving and driving while suspended.
He was released on his own recognizance, pending a court appearance on Feb. 6.
The vehicle was released to the passenger in the vehicle, who was listed as the car’s owner, police said.
– Ron Leir
