Belleville Man Lied About Being Robbed In Newark, Police Say

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — A Belleville resident has been accused of filing a false robbery complaint to police in Newark, authorities announced Thursday.

Marco A. Minchala Naranjo, 29, of Belleville, was arrested and charged with falsely reporting that he was robbed in Newark on May 8, according to the Newark Department of Public Safety.

Police released the following statement about the allegations:

“Naranjo filed a police report that said two males approached him at 4:30 a.m., and robbed him of $1,000 and his cell phone while waiting for the bus on the 90-block of Broadway. The police officer investigating the incident went to the location, retrieved surveillance video that showed Naranjo walking through the area, and that he had not been robbed. Naranjo was requested to return to the robbery squad, where he reiterated that the incident occurred. When he did not admit that the robbery had never happened, a warrant was issued for his arrest on May 25.”

Newark police said Naranjo was charged with falsifying a complaint and arrested on Tuesday.

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