Crime & Safety

Theft By Deception, Criminal Mischief: Princeton Police Blotter

The Princeton Police blotter dated Feb. 4 had the following reports:

(Alex Mirchuk/Patch)

PRINCETON, NJ — On Jan. 28, 2:16 p.m. following a motor vehicle stop for a vehicle inspection violation and an equipment violation, the driver, a Camden resident, was arrested after he was found to have three outstanding warrants issued from the Camden City Municipal Court totaling $6,000 and one warrant issued by the Gloucester City Municipal Court for $525.00. The 28-year-old was also found to be operating the vehicle with a suspended driver’s license. He was taken into custody, transported to police headquarters for processing, and was released by both courts on his own recognizance. The man was issued motor vehicle summonses for numerous violations, including- Failure to Inspect MV, Obstructed View of MV, Unregistered MV, Driving While Suspended, Unlicensed Driver, and having an Uninsured MV before being released from custody.

On Jan. 31, at 1:10 p.m., following a motor vehicle stop for speeding, a Newark resident was arrested after he was found to have an outstanding warrant from the Elizabeth Municipal Court for $750. The 31-year-old was taken to headquarters and he was ultimately released on his own recognizance with a new court date. He was issued a summons for his speeding violation prior to being released.

On Feb. 1, at 3:32 p.m., a resident reported that his son’s bicycle was stolen sometime between Dec. 26, 2024 and Feb. 01, 2025. The man reported that the bicycle was stored and secured with a lock in a storage unit, but that the lock was cut by an unknown person(s).

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On Feb. 1, 2025 officers investigated the report of two stolen handbags. The victim reported that the two purses, valued at $2,500 each, were stolen from the inside of his walk-in closet located in the master bedroom sometime between January 2022 and January 22, 2025. No known suspect(s) at this time.

On Feb. 1, at 1:09 p.m., the victim reported that an unknown suspect(s) made an online purchase for two iPhone 15 Pro Max 1 TB cell phones via his Verizon Wireless account, on July. 9, 2024. The victim suffered approximately $444.44 in monetary loss. There are no suspects at this time.

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On Feb. 1, at 12:37 p.m., following a pedestrian stop on Palmer Square West, the accused, a Princeton resident, was arrested after he was found to be a NJ Wanted Person by the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office. The 52-year-old was taken to headquarters, processed, and then transported to the Mercer County Correctional Center.

On Feb. 3, following a motor vehicle stop for speeding, the accused, a Princeton resident was found to have three active warrants for his arrest. He was wanted on warrants issued by Princeton Municipal Court in the amount of $3,500, West Windsor Township Municipal Court in the amount of $750 and East Windsor Municipal Court in the amount of $500. Furthermore, he was also found to be operating his motor vehicle without a valid driver’s license and with suspended driving privileges. The 35-year-old was placed under arrest and taken to police headquarters for processing. He was released on his own recognizance on each of the warrants and was subsequently released from police custody. The man was issued summonses for the aforementioned motor vehicle violations.

On Feb. 3, at 10:24 p.m., a complainant reported that an unknown suspect broke the padlock hasp latch that is affixed to the exterior door of the women’s bathroom located in Grover Park. The complainant reported the cost to replace the latch is approximately $10.00. There are no suspects.

On Feb. 3, a resident reported he was added to a group chat on WhatsApp after clicking on an advertisement link on Facebook for an investment group. The man reported he then chatted with an individual who claimed to be an investment assistant with a Financial Group. The man said that he was encouraged to purchase specific stocks and in January of 2025, he purchased $282,643.20 worth of a suggested stock. The victim reported that the stock initially rose in value and then suddenly plummeted. The victim reported that he was then told to sell the stock at a much lower price than what he paid for it, with the promise that he would be reimbursed for any losses he incurred. The victim reported that he sold the stock at a significant loss and then realized that the investment group was a scam. The victim reported that he suffered a total monetary loss of $273,156.82 as a result of the incident.

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