Police Blotter: Student Home for Lunch Interrupts Burglary

Burglary

Lawrence Township police are working to identify a woman who allegedly broke into a Roxboro Road house but ran off empty-handed after a resident stopped home on his lunch break from school last Friday (May 18).

Upon arriving home for lunch about 11:20 a.m., the 18-year-old spotted an open window in the residence. While he was phoning his mother to ask her if she had left the window open, the teenager heard the sound of the Bilco doors that lead out of the home’s basement being opened, according to Lt. Mark Ubry, a police department spokesman.

Looking outside, the teenager saw a woman running away from the house. Ubry said the 18-year-old and other witnesses described her as white, in her mid-30s with a thin build and auburn hair, wearing a red hat, blue shirt and black pants.

Detective Robert Potter and Officer Thomas Everist are conducting the investigation.

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Theft

Thirty-nine catalytic converters – worth a total of $38,610 – were removed and stolen from new vehicles parked in the lot of the Lawrence Toyota auto dealership in the 2800 block of Brunswick Pike (Route 1) sometime between 10:45 p.m. on Friday, May 18, and about 7 a.m. on Saturday, May 19, according to Ubry.

He said Detective Todd Caruso and Officer Steve Simon are investigating.

, 30 minivans and pickup trucks parked at Lawrence Toyota had their catalytic converters stolen in late March. Catalytic converters contain precious metals like platinum that make them a frequent target for thieves.

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Sex Offense

Detective Kevin Reading Jr. is investigating an alleged sex crime that took place at a massage parlor located in Lawrence Township. Lt. Charles Edgar, another police department spokesman, said a 23-year-old Princeton woman called police at 7:03 p.m. on Monday, May 14, and claimed that while she was receiving a massage at the business on May 12 she was touched “inappropriately” in a private part of her body by the male masseuse.  

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Resisting Arrest

Gina Cruz, 44, of Asbury Street, Trenton, was charged with resisting arrest after she allegedly tried to drive away to avoid police officers taking her into custody because she was wanted in connection with an outstanding warrant, Edgar said.

Shortly before 6 p.m. on Monday, May 14, Sgt. Tim Drew and Officers Richard Laird III and Shaun Sexton responded to a residence on Eldridge Avenue in response to a complaint about a verbal argument that was taking place between Cruz and her mother, who lives in that house.

The dispute was over and Cruz was sitting in her car outside by the time police arrived, but while interviewing Cruz about what had happened the officers learned she was wanted in connection with a warrant from Ewing Township, Edgar said.

When told she was being arrested in connection with that warrant, Cruz allegedly became “highly agitated and tried to put her car in gear to leave,” Edgar said. He said one of the officers reached into the car and turned off the ignition and Cruz was taken into custody.

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Drug Offense

Following a routine traffic stop, Dimichre Farrell, 35, of Trenton was arrested about 12:20 a.m. on Sunday, May 20, and charged with possession of under 50 grams of marijuana and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, Ubry said.

Officer Andres Mejia was on patrol when he spotted Farrell allegedly driving in the left northbound lane of the Trenton Freeway (Route 1) in the area of Whitehead Road in violation of the state’s “Keep Right” traffic law, Ubry said.

Ubry said Mejia followed Farrell for a time and finally initiated a traffic stop, pulling Farrell’s vehicle over in the 2900 block of Route 1. Upon speaking to Farrell, Mejia allegedly detected an odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle, he said. Subsequent investigation revealed drugs in the vehicle and Farrell was arrested, he said.

In addition to the drug charges, Farrell received three traffic violation summonses, according to Ubry.

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Theft

At 3:18 p.m. on Saturday, May 19, a Chesterfield resident reported to police that her wallet was stolen while she was at Gold’s Gym in the 4100 block of Quakerbridge Road. The wallet was in a bag that the woman kept with her the entire time she exercised. She told police she even had the bag with her as she cleaned up after her workout, but said she may have been momentarily distracted as she showered and dried her hair.

Ubry said the woman told police she suspects her wallet was removed from the bag by another woman who showered in the stall next to hers but who left abruptly without drying her hair following the shower.

He said the wallet was later found discarded along Outer Ring Road at Quaker Bridge Mall, which is located by the gym, but $80 in cash and a credit card were missing. Officer Mark Harmon is investigating, he said.

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Theft

Officer Thomas Everist is investigating the theft of three air conditioning units from the rear of an office building in the 1900 block of Princeton Avenue. Two of the units were Carrier brand and one was a Lennox. They had a combined value of $4,000, Ubry said. The crime was reported to police at 9:08 a.m. on Wednesday, May 16.

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Theft

Officer Mark Caponi is working to identify a man who drove away without paying after having $95.55 worth of diesel fuel pumped into his pickup truck at the Quick Chek service station/convenience store on Brunswick Circle Extension at about 12:30 p.m. on Friday, May 18, Ubry said. The man was described as black, about 6 feet 5 inches tall, 240 pounds, wearing blue jeans and a blue shirt, he said.

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Theft

The theft of a motorcycle was foiled when the three men who were allegedly trying to take the machine made too much noise and roused the owner about 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 16.

Edgar said the motorcycle’s owner, a 40-year-old resident of Barberry Court “heard a commotion” and, looking outside, spotted two men trying to lift his 2009 Suzuki Hayabusa – valued at $20,000 – into a minivan that was driven by a third man.

The owner yelled out, prompting the two men to drop the motorcycle and jump into the minivan, which then sped away, Edgar said. He said the motorcycle sustained minor damage. He said the three men were only described as being white and between 18 and 25 years old. Officer Thomas Maple is following up the crime and working to identify the three men.

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Drug Offense

Megan A. Catchpole, 20, of Creekside Court, Lawrence Township, was arrested after she called to request an ambulance, allegedly telling police she was having a “reaction” after using illegal drugs, at 1:36 p.m. on Saturday, May 12, according to Edgar. He said Catchpole was transported by ambulance to Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton and, after being treated there, was charged with being under the influence of narcotics, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a hypodermic needle.

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Driving Under the Influence

Robert J. Perrine, 29, of Edison, was charged with driving under the influence, reckless driving and related offenses after the vehicle he was driving was involved in a collision on Brunswick Pike (Route 1) in the area of Franklin Corner Road shortly before 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 15, according to Edgar..

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Criminal Mischief

Officer Marc Caponi is investigating a case of criminal mischief in which someone pulled a fire alarm out of the ceiling, causing damage to the ceiling and setting off the fire alarm system, in a hallway at the Howard Johnson’s Motor Lodge in the 2900 block of Brunswick Pike (Route 1) about 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 15, according to Edgar.

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Fire

Careless smoking was determined to be the cause of a fire that damaged a wooden patio enclosure located at the rear of an office building on Lenox Drive shortly before 4 p.m. on Friday, May 11, Edgar said. He said the fire started in a mulch bed and then spread to the patio structure, which is used by workers to take smoking breaks. He said township firefighters responded to extinguish the fire.

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Criminal Mischief

A 75-year-old resident of the 1800 block of Lawrence Road (Route 206) called police at 10:50 a.m. on Thursday, May 10, to report that someone had caused about $250 worth of damage to the filter assembly on her swimming pool, Edgar said. He said Officer Michael Whitmore is investigating.

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Criminal Mischief

At 2:09 p.m. Saturday, May 12, a 61-year-old resident of Betts Avenue called police to report that someone had slashed two of the tires on his 2004 Chevrolet pickup truck, Edgar said, noting that damage was estimated at $300. Officer Bruce Miller is investigating.

Anyone with information about any of the above crimes is asked to call Lawrence Township police at (609) 896-1111.

A copy of Lawrence Township's police dispatch log for Wednesday, May 9, through Tuesday, May 22, 2012, can be viewed from the PDF box above. This log lists all significant calls for service and incidents for which officers filed a written report. Routine administrative assignments are omitted. Some data has been redacted to protect the identity of crime victims.

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