The latest Montclair Police blotter includes some Halloween Party crashers who made off with a laptop and other electronics and rash of thefts from cars.
Theft
On 11/1/11 at approximately 2:30 AM, police responded to a multi-family residence on Valley Road on a report of a theft. Upon arrival, police spoke to a victim, who reported that she and her roommate were hosting a Halloween party when the suspects arrived. The victim stated that the suspects were not invited guests, but were welcomed into the home. The suspects consisted of three males and a female. During the party, two of the suspects were seen grabbing laptop computers from under a living room table and running out of the house. The victim also reported that a cell phone belonging to her roommate was stolen as well.
The victim reported that one of the suspects was pursued east on James Street by other party guests. A laptop computer and the Samsung cell phone were recovered when the suspect dropped the items while being chased. Several others chased the other two suspects as the suspects fled south on Valley Road before entering a Mini-Cooper or a small SUV.
The first suspect is described as a light-skinned black or Hispanic male, approximately twenty years old, with his hair in a long braid. This suspect is the one who was pursued on James Street. He was last seen wearing a black, fitted, knit hat with a red bandana over his face. The suspect identified himself as “Poodah.”
The second suspect is described as a black male, approximately twenty to twenty-two years old, with shoulder-length dreadlocks. This suspect identified himself as “Alex” and was last seen carrying the other laptop and fleeing in the SUV on Valley Road. He was last seen wearing blue jeans and a red-colored hooded sweatshirt.
The third suspect is described as a black male, approximately twenty to twenty-two years old and last seen wearing a dark-colored hooded sweatshirt with write writing on the front. The suspect identified himself as “Matty B.”
The fourth suspect is described only as a black female last seen wearing a puffy, black jacket.
During the pursuit, suspect #1 dropped a black hat to the ground. The Essex County Sheriff’s Department’s K-9 unit responded and tracked the scent to Williams Street, but the suspect was not located
The stolen laptop is described only as a Mac Book Titanium. Anyone with further information is asked to contact Detective Joseph Anderson at 973-509-4706.
Arrest
On 10/29/11 at approximately 1:10 AM, police were dispatched to a Mission Street residence on a report of a loud party. Upon arrival, police asked to speak to a resident of the house and found that none of the group lived there. Police asked that the group leave the area of the residence due to the noise complaints. One member of the group, later identified as Clint Scott, told the officer, “I don’t have to go anywhere.” Police advised Scott that he would be placed under arrest for failing to disburse if he stayed in the area. Scott stepped towards the officer and said, “Do what you got to do.”
Police advised Scott that he was being placed under arrest and attempted to handcuff him, but Scott refused to place his hands behind his back and held his arms firm. Scott was taken into custody after being wrestled to the ground. Scott was also found to be in possession of a bag of marijuana.
Scott, 30, of Montclair was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance and disorderly conduct. He was later released.
Theft from a Motor Vehicle
On 10/28/11 at approximately 4:45 PM, police were dispatched to Overlook Road in Upper Montclair on a report of a theft from a motor vehicle. The victim reported that she parked her Infiniti QX56 in her driveway on the 27th at approximately 4:45 PM. When she returned to the vehicle the following morning at 8:15 AM, she discovered that the contents of the glove box and center console had been removed and placed on the passenger’s seat. The victim reported that a blue/teal iPod Nano 8 GB, valued at $200, had been taken from the vehicle. There are no suspects at this time.
Anyone with further information is asked to contact Detective Lynn McCarthy at 973-509-4725.
Arrest
On 10/28/11 at approximately 8:30 PM, police responded to the Bay Street Parking Deck on Pine Street on a report of two juvenile males looking into vehicles parked on the first and second levels of the deck. Police later received information that the pair had left the deck and were in the area of the Shell Gas Station on Bloomfield Avenue. During the course of the investigation, police found that on of the individuals, a fourteen year old Montclair male, was in possession of a pipe that contained the odor of burnt marijuana. The juvenile was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and turned over to a guardian. The other juvenile, who was not charged in connection with this incident, was also turned over to a guardian.
Vandalism
On 10/28/11 at approximately 9:30 PM, police responded to a multi-family residence on Willowdale Avenue on a report of vandalism. The victim told police that he was in his residence at approximately 9:25 PM on that date when he heard a window break in the living room. He examined the area and found that a rock had been thrown through a storm window and smaller window pane. There are no suspects at this time.
Theft
On 10/28/11 at approximately 11:30 PM, police responded to Merit Fine Wines and Liquor on Bloomfield Avenue on a report of a theft. An employee reported that sometime between 9:30 PM and 10:00 PM on that date, someone had stolen a bottle of Ciroc Coconut Vodka, valued at $75, from the shelves.
Anyone with further information is asked to contact Detective Ricky Singleton at 973-509-4722.
Theft from a Motor Vehicle
On 10/30/11 at approximately 11:55 AM, police received a report of a theft from a motor vehicle that occurred on Union Street. The victim told police that at approximately 6:00 PM on the 29th, someone had broken the passenger’s side window to his Volvo XC7 and stolen a Garmin GPS unit, valued at $350. There are no suspects at this time.
Anyone with further information is asked to contact Detective Joseph Anderson at 973-509-4706.
Vandalism to a Motor Vehicle
On 10/31/11 at approximately 3:35 PM, police responded to Maple Avenue on a report of vandalism to a motor vehicle. The victim stated that a family member had parked a Ford Escort on the street in front of their residence on that date at approximately 11:00 AM. Approximately forty-five minutes later, a neighbor informed the victim that two tires to the vehicle were flat. The victim inspected the vehicle and discovered that the tires had been slashed and there was fresh damage to the windshield.
Anyone with further information is asked to contact Detective Terence Turner at 973-509-4724.
Theft from a Motor Vehicle
On 11/1/11 at approximately 3:40 PM, police responded to James Street on a report of a theft from a motor vehicle. The victim reported that he parked his Ford Escort in the area of Valley Road and James Street on the 31st at approximately 10:15 PM. The victim returned to the vehicle approximately five hours later and discovered that an Apple iPod Touch, valued at $350, and a GPS, valued at $79, had been taken from the vehicle. The vehicle had not been locked prior to the theft. There are no suspects at this time.
Anyone with further information is asked to contact Detective Joseph Anderson at 973-509-4706.
Theft
On 11/1/11 at approximately 1:25 PM, police received a report of a theft that occurred in the rear lot behind Starbucks on Valley Road. The victim reported that he parked his Chevy Avalanche in that area on the 31st at approximately 7:30 PM and left the store approximately an hour and a half later. On the 1st, the victim noticed that the tailgate to his vehicle was missing and stated that the lot was the only place that it could have been stolen. There are no suspects at this time.
Theft from a Motor Vehicle
On 11/1/11 at approximately 3:00 PM, police responded to a lot at the Lackawanna Plaza Mall on a report of a motor vehicle with a broken window. Upon arrival, police spoke with the victim, who stated that he parked his Toyota Tacoma in the lot on that date at approximately 8:30 AM. When he returned on that date at approximately 2:55 PM, he discovered that a rock had been thrown through the driver’s side window and someone had rummaged through the vehicle’s glove compartment. The victim believes that a set of keys was taken from the vehicle. There are no suspects at this time.
Anyone with further information is asked to contact Detective Joseph Anderson at 973-509-4706.
Vandalism to a Motor Vehicle
On 11/2/11 at approximately 1:30 AM, police were dispatched to the area of Union Street and South Willow Street on an anonymous report of shots fired. Almost simultaneously, police also received a report on Union Street of a possible motor vehicle theft in progress. Upon arrival, police met with the caller regarding the motor vehicle theft. The victim reported that she had parked her Subaru Forrester in front of her residence. She reported that she returned to the vehicle and discovered that the front and rear driver’s side windows had been shattered and that both of the driver’s side tires had been slashed. There was nothing reported as missing from the vehicle.
Police spoke to another witness, who reported that shortly before 1:30 AM, he heard several loud banging noises and looked out his window. The witness reported that he observed a short, black male with a thin build near the vandalized Subaru. The male was last seen fleeing east on Union Street towards Gates Avenue. A check of the area for evidence of shots fired was unfounded.
Anyone with further information is asked to contact Detective Charles Cunningham at 973-509-4716.
Arrest
On 11/1/11 at approximately 2:50 AM, police responded to Church Street on a report of a motor vehicle theft in progress. Upon arrival, police located a Nissan Sentra with a shattered rear windshield. Police spoke to a witness, who reported that he heard a loud noise and looked to see a male striking the front driver’s side window of the Sentra with what appeared to be a brick. The male then moved to the rear of the vehicle and shattered the rear windshield with the object. The suspect was last seen fleeing west on Church Street. The only description of the suspect provided was that he was a male last seen wearing a dark-colored puffy jacket and a dark hood.
While checking the area for the suspect, police heard a car horn continuously sounding in the former Hahne’s lot on Church Street. Police searched the lot and located a Toyota Camry occupied by a female. During the course of the investigation, police learned that the female, later identified as Maria Valdezmoya, had been with a male on Church Street when the male threw a retaining stone through the windshield of the Sentra. Valdezmoya and the male fled the scene and separated, with Valdezmoya entering the Camry by forcing open a damaged door to the vehicle. The Camry did not belong to Valdezmoya and she did not know its owner.
Valdezmoya, 35, of Newark, was placed under arrest and charged with burglary. Bail was set at $2,500. Anyone with further information is asked to contact Detective Charles Cunningham at 973-509-4714.
Arrests
On 9/21/11 at approximately 2:45 PM, police responded to a single-family residence on Warren Place on a report of a possible burglary in progress. Upon arrival, police spoke to the complainant, who stated that she returned home from walking her dog when the dog became agitated. The dog began barking loudly as the victim approached the front door to the residence. She entered the home and asked, “Is anyone home?” but received no reply. However, due to her dog’s response, the victim exited the house and called the police.
The victim stated that as she exited the residence, she observed an individual running up a nearby driveway. Upon arrival, police located a chair underneath a kitchen window and multiple unlocked basement windows. The screen to the kitchen window had been cut and removed from the window. The victim reported that seven pairs of gold earrings, with a total value of $3,500, eight pairs of silver earring, with a total value of $3,200, three gold necklaces, with a total value of $5,700, a silver necklace with three different colored stones and valued at $325, and an Indian mala bracelet, valued at $100, were stolen from the residence.
As a result of a continuing investigation, detectives identified Mark Ruccatano as a suspect in this incident. Ruccatano, 34, of Newark, was charged with burglary and theft. Bail was set at $50,000.
You mean to tell me that the MPD do not already have a file on ‘Poodah’? Its shocking that this would be this fine upstanding citizens first brush with the law.
The real crime here is that Ciroc vodka is valued at 75 dollars.
Several observations:
Why would anyone leave laptops, ipods, GPS, etc. in an unlocked car without the reasonable expectation that such items are attractive to thieves and likely to be stolen?
Stealing the tailgate off of a pickup truck in the middle of town qualifies as a fairly audacious and determined effort, and probably not the work of the ipod/GPS oriented thieves.
That gentleman on Mission Street that was given the opportunity to quiet down or be arrested, and chose to be arrested while carrying a bag of weed is most likely not a member of MENSA.
Given all of this crime, I think that perhaps it may be appropriate to provide a link to an important public service message from Chris Rock about avoiding trouble with the police:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uj0mtxXEGE8