Blotter: Police Chases and Burglaries in Fanwood

Fanwood and Mountainside police got a two-for-one deal Sept. 4 and 5. On the morning of Sept. 4, a resident of the 90-block of Midway Avenue told Fanwood Police that an unknown suspect or suspects had stolen his black 1999 Jeep, Fanwood Detective Eugene Chin said in a telephone interview.

Officers put out a broadcast, and later that day, officers in Mountainside observed a white 1999 Jeep driving on Route 22 East, Chin said. Mistaking it for the Jeep that was reported stolen from Fanwood, they ran the car's license plate and discovered that it, too, was stolen.

The officers pulled behind the white Jeep, which then attempted flee. A chase ensued, and officers pursued the Jeep into Hillside, where it crashed. The occupants suffered only minor injuries, Chin said, and they were arrested.

The next day, officers in South Orange spotted a black 1999 Jeep that was parked in the street. They ran the plate, and determined it was the vehicle stolen from Fanwood. There were no occupants in the vehicle, and police are investigating.

The Fanwood Police Department is also investigating a string of car burglaries that occurred in the area of Paterson Road last month. Between 8:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 17, and 8:30 a.m. the following morning, Chin said, an unknown suspect or suspects rifled through four unlocked vehicles, each of which was parked in the owner's driveway. The suspect or suspects made off with a GPS unit and about $35 in change, Chin said.

Here are the rest of the police reports:

Tuesday, Aug. 17:

• Police arrested Raymond Foreau-Morris, 19, of Plainfield, for possession of marijuana. At 2:54 a.m., officers on routine patrol noticed an individual riding a bike on Terrill Road and acting suspiciously. When they stopped the individual – Foreau-Morris – he said that he was riding to his house. Officers noted that the bike was missing a light, which is required for nighttime riding, and asked Foreau-Morris for his credentials. Foreau-Morris did not cooperate, Chin said, and as the officers spoke with him, they noticed the odor of marijuana. While patting him down, they discovered a quantity of the substance in his possession. They arrested and transported Foreau-Morris to police headquarters, where he was processed and released.

Wednesday, Aug. 18:

• Officers on routine patrol discovered green spray paint on Sheelen's Crossing. The bridge is believed to have been spray painted sometime between 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 17 and 7:30 a.m. the following day.

Friday, Aug. 20:

• Police arrested Aundra Stanley, 46, of South Plainfield, following a brief foot pursuit into Plainfield. At 11:43 p.m., a store in the 100-block of South Avenue reported an incident of shoplifting, Detective Chin said. The suspect – Stanley – fled west on South Avenue toward Plainfield, and police were provided his description. Minutes later, when officers checked the intersection of South Avenue and Terrill Road, they spotted Stanley riding a bike. When the officers approached, Stanley leapt off his bike and ran, Chin said. A brief foot-chase ensued, but Stanley was soon cornered and arrested in the parking lot of Fresh Waters restaurant. He was transported to police headquarters and charged with shoplifting, obstruction and resisting arrest. His bail was set at $4,500, which he was unable to post. Stanley was transported to Union County Jail pending a court date.
• Police are investigating a house burglary that occurred sometime between 11:30 p.m. Aug. 20 and 7:00 p.m. Aug. 21. A resident of Montrose Avenue reported that an unknown suspect or suspects broke into his house and stole several pieces of jewelry. The total value of the jewelry was $15,000. The suspect or suspects gained entry through an unlocked window, Chin said.

Saturday, Aug. 21:

• Police arrested Erik Diaz, 30, for a $488 outstanding warrant issued by the Phillipsburg court. At 9:16 p.m., officers stopped Diaz at Terrill Road and East Second Street and discovered the warrant. They transported him to police headquarters, where he was processed and released.

Monday, Aug. 23:

• Police arrested Andre Gordon, 31, of Bound Brook, for an $89 outstanding warrant issued by the Fanwood court. At 2:22 p.m., officers stopped Gordon in the 300-block of South Avenue for a motor vehicle violation and discovered the warrant. They transported him to police headquarters, where he was processed and released.

Thursday, Aug. 26:

• Between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m., an unknown suspect or suspects attempted to break into a house in the 100-block of Farley Avenue. The homeowner was away at the time, Chin said, and returned to find that the rear screen door was kicked-in. Nothing was reported missing. 

Friday, Aug. 27:

• Police arrested Anthony Smith, 42, of Belmar, for a $93 outstanding warrant issued by the Belmar court. At 4:35 p.m., officers stopped Smith on South Avenue for a motor vehicle violation and discovered the warrant. They transported him to police headquarters, where he was processed and released.

Sunday, Aug. 29:

• A resident of the 30-block of Tillotson Road reported that an unknown suspect or suspects broke into his car overnight. The resident found the driver's door lock of his car had been damaged, and that the car's glove compartment had been rifled through. Nothing was reported missing. Police believe the burglary occurred between 11 p.m. Aug. 28 and 3 p.m. Aug. 29.

Monday, Aug. 30:

• A resident of the 100-block of North Avenue reported that decorative electrical lights near his house's driveway had been spray painted. Police believe the incident occurred between 11 p.m. Aug. 29 and 5 a.m. Aug. 30.

Tuesday, Aug. 31:

• A resident of the 10-block of Nichols Court reported being the victim of burglary. Between 11:30 p.m. Aug. 30 and 6 a.m. Aug. 31, an unknown suspect or suspects stole 20 CDs and a GPS unit from the resident's car, which was left unlocked. The total value of the stolen items was about $700.
• Between 4:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m., police received reports of two vehicles in the 100-block of Glenwood that appeared to be ransacked. Nothing was reported missing, but police are investigating.
• Police arrested Cristoph Hernandez, 21, of Carteret, for a $100 outstanding warrant issued by the Rahway court. At 5:18 p.m., officers stopped Hernandez in the 300-block of South Avenue and discovered the warrant. They transported him to police headquarters, where he was processed and released.

Thursday, Sept. 2:

• A resident of the 500-block of Terrill Road reported being the victim of burglary. Between 8 p.m. and midnight, an unknown suspect or suspects entered the resident's car, which was unlocked, and stole her purse. The resident reported that she had left $750 in cash, credit cards and a cell phone in the purse.
• A resident of the 200-block of Midway Avenue reported being a victim of theft. Between 11:30 a.m. Aug. 29 and noon Sept. 2, an unknown suspect or suspects stole the resident's bicycle from the back of her house. The bicycle, a Cannondale mountain bike, was left on the porch.

Friday, Sept. 3:

• Police arrested Omar Lee, 39, of East Orange, for a $250 warrant issued by the Middletown court and driving with a suspended license. At 9:56 a.m., officers stopped Lee in the 300-block of North Avenue and discovered the warrant and suspended license. They transported Lee to police headquarters, where he was processed and released.

Saturday, Sept. 4:

• Police arrested Melissa Torzewski, 21, of Glen Gardner, for driving while intoxicated. At 1:49 a.m., officers stopped Torzewski on Russell Road for a motor vehicle violation and smelled the odor of alcohol. After she failed several sobriety tests, she was arrested and transported to police headquarters, where she was processed and released.
• Between 2 a.m. and 2:15 a.m., officers on routine patrol discovered two vehicles on Hunter Avenue that an unknown suspect or suspects had apparently attempted to steal. The vehicles' ignitions had been tampered with, Chin said.

Sunday, Sept. 5:

• Police arrested Tia Gittens, 23, of Newark, for a $178 outstanding warrant issued by the Glen Ridge court. At 2:35 p.m., officers stopped Gittens on Terrill Road for a motor vehicle violation and discovered the warrant. They transported her to police headquarters, where she was processed and released.

Monday, Sept. 6:

• Police arrested Priscilla Reed, 28, of Piscataway, for a $151 outstanding warrant issued by the North Plainfield court. Officers stopped Reed in the 100-block of South Avenue for a motor vehicle violation and discovered the warrant. They transported her to police headquarters, where she was processed and released.
• Police arrested Jhonny Villanueva, 27, for three outstanding warrants issued by the Roselle, Elizabeth and Woodbridge courts, totaling $1,830. At 11:22 p.m., officers stopped Villanueva for a motor vehicle violation and discovered the warrant. They transported him to police headquarters, where he was unable to post bail. He was picked-up by the Roselle Police Department.

Thursday, Sept. 9:

• A resident of the 40-block of Poplar Place reported being the victim of burglary. Between 4:30 p.m. Sept. 8 and 10:30 p.m. Sept. 9, Chin said, an unknown suspect or suspects broke into the resident's house. The front window screen was cut open, and the resident reported that some change and a cell phone was missing. Police are investigating.
• Police arrested Beau Lia, 20, of Fanwood for two outstanding warrants issued by the Scotch Plains and Mountainside courts totaling $900. At about 11:02 p.m., officers were investigating a report of criminal mischief that had occurred in the 200-block of South Avenue, and approached Lia, who they found on Third Street. While checking his credentials, they discovered the two warrants. They transported him to police headquarters, where he was processed and released.
• Police arrested Sharon Naulty, 55, of Mountainside, for a $500 warrant issued by the Shrewsbury court. At 11:30 a.m., officers stopped Naulty in the 300-block of Terrill Road for a motor vehicle violation and discovered the warrant. They transported her to police headquarters, where she was processed and released.
• Police arrested Edgar Wright, 33, and Yasmin Pica-Ruiz, 29, both of Elizabeth. At 12:10 p.m., officers stopped Wright and Pica-Ruiz in the 100-block of South Avenue for a motor vehicle violation. Wright, the driver, gave officers false information, Chin said, and when they checked his credentials, discovered a $1,300 warrant issued by the Elizabeth court. They arrested Wright for hindering a police investigation, providing false information and the warrant. They also arrested Pica-Ruiz, the passenger, who gave officers a false name. The two were transported to police headquarters, where they were processed and released.

Sunday, Sept. 12:

• A transformer fire on Hetfield Avenue in Scotch Plains caused back-to-back power outages nearby neighborhoods. At 1:19 p.m., fire units responded to the blaze, which was quickly brought under control. Power was restored later that afternoon, police and residents reported.