Scams, Drunk Driver Reported: Glen Rock Police Blotter

GLEN ROCK, NJ — In the past week, three scams and a drunk-driving incident were reported out of Glen Rock. The following information was summarized from records of the Glen Rock Police Department.

June 13: A Glen Rock resident reported that a scammer filed a fraudulent claim for unemployment benefits using their personal information. The detective bureau continues to receive complaints of this nature and is working with the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice, which investigates fraudulent unemployment claims, Chief Dean Ackermann said in a news release.

June 14: Following a yearlong investigation into a May 2021 home improvement scam, police have charged a 27-year-old man with theft, criminal mischief and two counts of money laundering. The charges stem from an incident in which two elderly Glen Rock residents were defrauded, and their house sustained damage. The suspect, Jacob Tom, of Piscataway, was arrested and taken to Bergen County Jail pending his first court appearance, police said.

June 16: A Glen Rock financial management company for nonprofits reported check fraud involving one of its clients. A check issued for $2,333.33 on behalf of the client was altered to $72,333.33 and sent to a third party, who became suspicious of the check and confirmed it was fraudulent, police said.

The detective bureau is reviewing the matter, police said.

Furthermore, a 41-year-old Ridgewood woman was charged on June 16 with driving under the influence and issued separate summons charging her with refusing to submit breath samples; careless driving; and failure to observe lanes marked for traffic, or failure to keep right), police said.

Police found the woman in the driver's seat of a 2016 Honda that had crashed, with the vehicle still in gear. She was "highly intoxicated and agitated," and could not stand unassisted, police said, and officers could not safely carry out field sobriety exercises due to the state she was in. She was arrested, and continued to struggle and be uncooperative, while police escorted her, and was then taken to an area hospital for alcohol detox, police said.