From Lt. Scott Buehler, Montclair Police:

Robbery

On 5/26/11 at approximately 10:20 PM, police responded to Grove Street in Upper Montclair on a report of a robbery that occurred approximately fifteen minutes earlier in the area of Watchung Avenue and Montclair Avenue. Police spoke to the victim, a sixteen year old Montclair male, who stated that he and his friend were walking on Watchung Plaza when his friend parted ways with him momentarily. Shortly thereafter, the victim was using his cell phone when he was attacked from behind. The victim told police that he was knocked to the ground, kicked and punched. One of the suspects took the victim’s cell phone, with the group then fleeing in an unknown direction. The victim suffered an abrasion to the face, and injuries to the hand. The stolen cell phone is described as a blue Samsung slide phone valued at $300.
Police then spoke to the victim’s friend, who stated that he was able to observe the assault after hearing noises coming from the area of the victim. It id s believed that the victim was assaulted by a group of three to six black males, possibly juveniles. Some of the group wore white t-shirts, while another wore blue shorts, and one of the juveniles wore red shorts.
Anyone with further information is asked to contact Detective Joseph Anderson at 973-509-4706.

Fire

On Friday 5/27/11 at approximately 5:45 AM, police were dispatched to Edgemont Park on Valley Road for the report of a trash can fire. Upon arrival, police located a fire contained in the trash can on the children’s playground located at the south end of the park. M.F.D. arrived on scene and extinguished the flame without incident. The plastic inner lining of the trash container was completely melted away and part of the rubber ground surface had been damaged by the heat of the flames. There are no suspects at this time.
Anyone with further information is asked to contact Detective Charles Cunningham at 973-509-4716.

Vandalism

On 5/26/11 at approximately 3:30 PM, police responded to the parking lot of Nauna’s on a report of vandalism. The complainant stated that there has been an ongoing problem involving juveniles vandalizing signs on the property. The complainant stated that earlier that morning at approximately 11:00 AM, an address label containing illegible writing had been affixed to a No Parking sign in the lot.
A review of surveillance footage shows three possible suspects involved in the incident. The first suspect is described as a white male, sixteen to eighteen years old, tall, thin, with long brownish-colored hair. He was last seen wearing a white-colored short sleeved t-shirt with lettering, khaki pants, and a green hat worn backwards on his head. The second suspect is described as a black male, sixteen to eighteen years old, last seen wearing a gray or black short-sleeved t-shirt and a hat worn backwards on his head. The third suspect is described as a black male, sixteen to eighteen years old, thin, with long black hair and last seen wearing a gray or black short-sleeved t-shirt and blue jeans.
Anyone with further information is asked to contact the Juvenile Aid Bureau at 973-509-4733.

Medical Call

On 5/27/11 at approximately 10:10 AM, police responded to a single-family residence in the 700 block of Valley Road in Upper Montclair on a report of a male that fell from a third floor window. Upon arrival, police spoke to a resident, who stated that she was inside when she heard a loud bang. She and a family member went outside to investigate and learned that one of the males working on her roof had fallen to the ground.
The male, a forty-three year old East Orange resident, was reportedly standing on the third floor dormer in the rear of the residence when he lost his footing and fell from the house, striking scaffolding and the garage roof before hitting the ground. The victim was transported to Saint Joseph’s Hospital for treatment of multiple injuries.