Criminal Mischief, Theft By Deception: Princeton Police Blotter

The following is a summary of incidents as reported by Princeton Police:

PRINCETON, NJ — On April 15, 1:13 a.m., following a motor vehicle stop on Princeton Kingston Road for careless driving, the driver, a sole occupant, was found to be driving while intoxicated. The Monmouth Junction resident was placed under arrest and taken to police headquarters, where he was processed and provided samples of his breath for testing. The 47-year-old was issued summonses for driving while intoxicated, careless driving, and reckless driving. He was later released to a sober adult.

On April 16, at 5:29 p.m., officers responded to a business on Hulfish Street following a report of a shoplifting that had just occurred. The investigation at the scene revealed two black females, possibly in their early 20s. One was wearing a blue denim jacket and brown pants, and had a braided hairstyle. The other had a ponytail, a faded chest tattoo on her upper chest, and was dressed entirely in black. Together, they shoplifted approximately $452 worth of merchandise before fleeing the scene in an unknown vehicle. The investigation is ongoing.

On April 19, at 11:19 p.m., following a motor vehicle stop for driving without headlights when required, the driver was found to have an active warrant issued by the Lawrence Township Municipal Court for $550. The Lawrence resident was arrested and taken to police headquarters for processing. Following processing, he was released on his own recognizance and given a new court date. Additionally, the 25-year-old received a summons for driving without headlights when required.

On April 20, patrols were dispatched to a park on Witherspoon Street following a 9-1-1 call reporting criminal mischief to a shed. On arrival, officers met with the caller and another witness, both of whom reported seeing a group of Hispanic men splattering black paint on the exterior of the shed. Further investigation revealed that the suspects had broken into the shed and stolen black acrylic paint, which they used to deface the exterior. The witnesses provided photographs they had taken of two of the suspects. One of the suspects was later found walking on Witherspoon Street and identified as a Princeton resident. The 20-year-old was arrested and charged with burglary, criminal mischief, and theft. After completing the arrest processing, he was released and provided with a court date.

On April 21, a resident reported that she sent $1,500 via PayPal to a suspect identified only as "Leticia Cervano" as a down payment for a vehicle advertised on Facebook Marketplace. The woman later discovered that the advertisement was a scam. She has been unable to recover her lost money from the bank.

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