Suspicious Activity On Christopher Street; Smattering Of Burglaries On Midland And Enfield Avenues And Elsewhere

          On Saturday, July 31 at about 5:35 p.m., police were sent to Christopher Street after an 18-year-old Montclair resident reported that she was walking between Watchung Avenue and McDonough Street when a white older model car, possibly a 90s model Ford Crown Victoria, drove past her. The car appeared very dirty and poorly maintained. The complainant reported that the driver waved at her shortly before she lost sight of the car. While walking, the complainant was approached by the driver of the car, who repeatedly asked for her telephone number. When the female refused, the male asked if he could go to her house and if her father was home. The female walked quickly away from the male, who eventually turned around and walked back towards the location of his car.

            The male is described as a Hispanic male, approximately 30 to 35 years old, approximately 5'10", with a stocky build, and black hair. He was last seen wearing dark black sunglasses with thick plastic frames and small lenses, a white t-shirt and long black shorts. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Lynn McCarthy at 973-509-4725.

Also this past week - a smattering of burglaries including one on Midland Avenue:

            On Thursday, July 29 at approximately 8:10 a.m., police responded to a single family residence on Midland Avenue on a report of a burglary. The victim stated that she had heard a noise coming from the first floor of the residence at approximately 4:30 a.m., but did not investigate, believing that it was one of her family members. Entry to the residence appears to have been gained through the first floor dining room window, which had been left open prior to the burglary. The screen to the window had been pushed in. An Apple Mac Book Pro 13.3 inch, valued at $1,200, and an Apple Mac Book, valued at $1,021, was stolen from the first floor living room. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Terence Turner at 973-509-4724.

Also on this week's Police Blotter just in from Lt. Scott Buehler at the Montclair Police Department:

Motor Vehicle Theft

             On Friday, July 30 at approximately 7:15 a.m., police responded to Enfield Avenue on a report of a stolen motor vehicle. The owner reported that his Cadillac Escalade was stolen sometime between midnight and approximately 6:35 a.m. on July 30. The victim further stated that his Mercedes Benz S500 was parked in his driveway. The keys to the Escalade had been left in the Mercedes Benz by the victim prior to the theft and it is believed that the suspect found these keys to steal the Escalade. The Mercedes Benz had been left unlocked prior to the theft. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Joseph Anderson at 973-509-4706.

Motor Vehicle Theft

            On Friday, July 30 at approximately 8:15 a.m., police were dispatched to High Street on a report of a stolen vehicle. The owner stated that sometime between midnight and 7:00 a.m. on July 30, someone had broken into his Toyota Camry and stolen his Ford Mustang from his driveway. The keys to the Mustang had been left inside the Camry. Entry to the locked Camry was gained by breaking the passenger's side rear window. A Tom Tom GPS, valued at $200, was also stolen from the Camry. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Terence Turner at 973-509-4724.

Burglary

            On Friday, July 30 at approximately 8:40 a.m., police were dispatched to Enfield Avenue on a report of a burglary to a garage. The victim reports that sometime between midnight and approximately 8 a.m. on July 30, someone had pried open the side door to her garage and stolen a bicycle from inside the garage. The bicycle is described as a blue Huffy mountain bike valued at approximately $100. There are no suspects at this time.

Arrest

            On Saturday, July 31 at approximately 2:25 a.m., police were in the area of Elmwood Avenue and Mission Street when they observed Glenn Alexander Jr. Alexander, 41, of Montclair, was placed under arrest when it was determined that he had a warrant out of Montclair, with bail set at $743. He was also found to have warrants out of Plainfield, with bail totaling $780.

Arrest

            On Saturday, July 31 at approximately 4:05 a.m., police assumed custody of Aznhar Walker from the Glen Ridge Police Department. Walker, 19, of Montclair, had a warrant out of Montclair, with bail set at $750. She was also found to have a warrant out of Scotch Plains, with bail set at $500 and Newark, with bail set at $200.

Theft from a Motor Vehicle

            On Saturday, July 31 at approximately 4:00 p.m., police received a report from a Newark resident concerning a theft from his Volkswagen Golf. According to the victim, he parked his vehicle in the Maple Plaza Parking Lot on July 31 at approximately 2:30 p.m. When he returned to the vehicle approximately twenty minutes later, he discovered that his Garmin Tom Tom 340 navigation unit, valued at approximately $200, was missing from inside the vehicle. The front driver's side window had been left open prior to the theft. There are no suspects at this time. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Lynn McCarthy at 973-509-4725.ted that the driver waved at her shortly before she lost sight of the vehicle.

Arrests

             On Sunday, August 1 at approximately 12:20 a.m., police responded to Wheeler Street on a report of a disturbance. Upon arrival, police located approximately twenty people standing in the street and side walk area. Police observed a male, later identified as James McCornell, 18, of Montclair, arguing with and pushing a female. The female, later identified as Nyzera Fleming, 19, of Montclair, also pushed McCornell. Both were placed under arrest, charged with disorderly conduct, and later released.

Driving While Intoxicated

            On Sunday, August 1 at approximately 4 a.m., police observed a BMW X5 traveling east on Bloomfield Avenue at a high rate of speed. The vehicle also failed to stop at red lights at the intersections of Bloomfield Avenue and Elm Street and Bloomfield Avenue and Maple Avenue. Police stopped the BMW at Bloomfield Avenue and Freeman Parkway in Glen Ridge. Upon speaking to the driver, police detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage on her breath. The driver, Shareka Shellman, 25, of Arverne, New York, was placed under arrest after she failed to adequately perform field sobriety tests. She was issued summonses for driving while intoxicated, refusal to submit to a breathalyzer, driving while intoxicated within a school zone, careless driving, failure to observe signal, and maintenance of lamps. She was later released.

Theft

            On Monday, August 2at approximately 11:40 a.m., police responded to Pines Auto Service on Harrison Avenue on a report of a theft from a vending machine. According to the complainant, it appeared that someone had used a crowbar or similar tool to break into a Pepsi Cola vending machine located in front of the service station. The theft is believed to have occurred sometime between 7 p.m. on 7/31/10 and 9 a.m. on August 2. Approximately $40 was taken from the machine. There are no suspects at this time. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Ray Gulbin at 973-509-4739.

Theft

            On Tuesday, July 27 at approximately 3 p.m., police were dispatched to the Bellevue Train Station on a report of a theft. The victim stated that she locked her bicycle to the fence on the west side of the railroad tracks on July 27 at approximately 11 a.m. When she returned to the bike at approximately 2 p.m. on that date, she discovered that both wheels were missing from the bicycle. The wheels were valued at approximately $100. There are no suspects at this time. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Christopher Barnes at 973-509-4731.

Theft from a Motor Vehicle

            On Tuesday, July 27 at approximately 5:10 p.m., police were dispatched to Greenwood Avenue on a report of a theft from a motor vehicle. The victim stated that someone had entered his Hyundai Elantra sometime between 4 p.m. on July 26 and 6 a.m. on July 27. An ash tray valued at approximately $15 and containing approximately $5 in loose change, was stolen from the vehicle. There were no signs of forced entry to the vehicle and there are no suspects at this time.

Burglary

            On Tuesday, July 27 at approximately 8:15 p.m., police were dispatched to a Walnut Street apartment on a report of a burglary. Upon inspection, police located tool marks to the apartment's door. In addition, two windows in the apartment were cracked, with their screens cut.  It is believed that burglary occurred sometime between 11:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. on the July 27. A Dell laptop computer, valued at $1200, and a T-Mobile cellular phone, valued at $200, was stolen from the apartment. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Terence Turner at 973-509-4724.

Ambulance Needed

            On Tuesday, July 27 at approximately 10:30 p.m., police responded to the Wellmont Theater on a report that a piece of the ceiling had fallen, injuring two people. One person, an eighteen year old East Brunswick male, suffered a cut to his head when the ceiling piece struck him in the back of his head. Another East Brunswick resident was struck in the right shoulder. Both parties were transported to Mountainside Hospital.

Arrest

            On Wednesday, July 28 at approximately 4 p.m., police observed a Ford Explorer traveling west on Bloomfield Avenue with a fraudulent inspection sticker. Police stopped the vehicle on Park Street and learned that the driver, Ricky Ore, had an outstanding warrant out of Morris Township, with bail set at $500. Ore, 26, of Newark, was placed under arrest. He was also issued motor vehicle summonses for driving with a suspended license, fraudulent inspection sticker, and failure to inspect.

Burglary

            On Wednesday, July 28 at approximately 9:10 p.m., police responded to a single family residence on Appleton Place on a report of a burglary. The victim stated that he had left his residence on the July 28 at approximately 7:30 p.m. When he returned approximately an hour and a half later, he discovered that an unlocked first floor window had been opened and immediately called the police. The victim noticed that a key ring containing his house and car keys was missing from his kitchen. He then checked outside and noticed that his blue Audi A4 Cabriolet, valued at approximately $40,000, was missing from his driveway. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Ray Gulbin at 973-509-4739.