Entered Vehicles
August 22-29, 2023. Unlocked vehicles were reported to have been entered on North Fullerton Avenue, Christopher Street, Waterbury Road, and Highland Avenue. In two incidents, work vans were entered and approximately $1000.00 in equipment was stolen.
Abandoned Dog
August 23, 2023 (Cloverhill Place): A resident in the area of Glenridge Avenue and Cloverhill Place reported that they observed a black vehicle (no further description) abandon a dog in the area. The dog was last seen wandering west on Glenridge Avenue. A responding officer located the canine, described as a brown and white Pitbull Terrier with a blue collar, near the eastbound side of the Lackawanna Plaza parking lot circling a set of donation bins. The dog did not have any identifying tags on it. The dog was turned over to Montclair Animal Control.
Motor Vehicle Crime
August 27, 2023 (Greenwood Avenue): A 2002 Dodge Pickup was reported stolen from the parking lot of Clairridge Motors. The vehicle had been dropped off for repairs at approximately 10:45 PM the previous night.
Theft
August 27, 2023 (Bloomfield Avenue): An employee of the Shell Station reported that a blue Mitsubishi, possibly an Outlander, requested $20.00 worth of gas and fled west on Bloomfield Avenue without making payment. The vehicle was occupied by three males and a female.
Burglary
August 27, 2023 (Melrose Place): The residents reported that after returning from vacation, they discovered a surveillance camera within the home’s kitchen was missing. After checking the “cloud”, they discovered that at 5:31 AM, a tall thin male, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, black sweatpants, black shoes, gloves and a mask, carrying a flashlight, entered the kitchen from an exterior door. Once inside, the individual wanders around the house, eventually leaving with two bottles of champagne, each valued at approximately $200.
Shoplifting
August 28, 2023 (Bloomfield Avenue): A Team Leader at Whole Foods Supermarket reported a shoplifting that occurred hours in the past. The employee reported that while reviewing surveillance, he observed at 10:28 AM, a woman leaving the store through the main entrance with a shopping cart full of products that were not paid for. The employee stated that the woman matches the description of a suspect that has been involved in at least four other shoplifting incidents at various Whole Foods locations. The suspect is believed to have shoplifted upwards of $5,517.13 from the "Whole Body" section of the store. The suspect was recorded taking the
$5,517.13 worth of (87) items from the "Whole Body" section also may have possibly taken various grocery items that have not been accounted for. The suspect entered the store through the main entrance at 9:52 AM and exited through that same entrance at 10:28 AM, instead of leaving through designated exit point past the cashiers.
The suspect was observed by herself during this incident but has been known to operate with a male accomplice. Whole Foods Asset Protection is currently investigating the incidents but has not yet identified the suspects. Police reports have been filed with three other Police Departments regarding these suspects; Parsippany PD, Middletown PD, and Wayne PD. The female suspect is described as having blonde hair, medium height and build, usually wearing a denim jacket, white shirt, black pants, and black w/ white Vans sneakers. She has been observed wearing the same clothing at multiple Whole Foods locations.
Arrest
August 27, 2023 (High Street): Officers were dispatched to the area of High Street on a report of a suspicious male walking up and down resident’s driveways. When the suspect observed the first responding officer, he fled on foot into Carey’s Woods. Shortly after, a second officer observed the same suspect who once again fled on foot. After a foot pursuit, a 45-year-old from Montclair was placed under arrest and charged with Criminal Trespass. He was found to have jewelry on him that has not yet been determined to be stolen.
