Fanwood Police Open Three Investigations

Borough police are investigating three crimes that occurred last week: a burglary of a Kempshall Terrace residence Thursday; the swiping of a donation can Friday; and two bubblegum heists.

On Monday, May 24, Fanwood police responded to a reported burglary in the 60-block of Kempshall Terrace. The resident reported that between 9:20 and 10:20 a.m., a suspect or suspects pushed-in the backdoor and a rear window of his house, and proceeded to search the premises. It appeared that a piece of jewelry was missing. The investigation is ongoing, Detective Eugene Chin said. 

On Friday, May 28, police received a report that two black males stole a donation can from the counter of a South Avenue business and fled the store. A witness described one suspect as light-skinned and wearing a white hat, Chin said, and the other as dark-skinned and wearing a red bandana on his forearm. The suspects fled the scene in a brown colored vehicle, heading west toward Plainfield. The investigation is ongoing. 

And finally, a thief or thieves apparently tried to bring enough for everybody last week, twice stealing baskets full of bubblegum from the shelves of another South Avenue business. The suspect or suspects fled in the direction of Plainfield, Chin said, and together stole about 60 packs of gum.

The robberies occurred Monday, May 24 and Thursday, May 27. On Monday, an employee of the South Avenue business reported seeing a six-foot-tall black man load his shopping basket with about 40 packs of bubblegum, then leave the store without paying.

Three days later, another employee witnessed a similar event: a six-foot-tall black man, filling his shopping basket with gum, then walking out of the store before paying.

That afternoon, Plainfield police stopped Aundra Stanley, 46, of South Plainfield, who matched the second suspect's description. Upon performing a search, they discovered about 20 packs of bubblegum in Stanley's possession, and radioed Fanwood police. Borough officers transported the South Avenue employee to the scene, and he positively identified Stanley as the second suspect.

However, Stanley's appearance slightly differs from the first witness' description: whereas that witness had described the shoplifter as thin, Chin said, Stanley has a substantially thicker build. Borough police are investigating whether Stanley committed both crimes, whether someone else committed the crime Monday, and if so, whether the two are related.

Here are the rest of the police reports from the past week:

Monday, May 24:

• Police arrested Yvonne Cummings, 56, of Tannersville, Pa, for an outstanding warrant from Mount Olive. Officers stopped Cummings at 10:29 a.m. for a motor vehicle violation, and upon further inquiry discovered the warrant. She was transported to the borough's police headquarters, and turned over to Mount Olive police.
• Police arrested Lisa Brown, 44, of Plainfield, for outstanding warrants from Plainfield and South Plainfield. Officers stopped Brown for a motor vehicle violation at 3:49 p.m., at the corner of Terrill Road and George Street, and discovered the warrant. She was transported to police headquarters, and turned over to South Plainfield police. 

Friday, May 28:

• Police arrested Latoyah Foster, 30, of Plainfield, for an outstanding warrant. Officers pulled behind Foster's car, and upon checking her car's license plate, discovered the warrant. The officers stopped her car at 10:53 a.m. at the corner of North Avenue and Elm Avenue, and arrested Foster. She was transported to headquarters, processed, and released upon posting bail.

 Saturday, May 29:

• Police arrested Richard Santiago, 44, of Plainfield, for an outstanding warrant from Union. Officers pulled behind Santiago's car, and upon checking his vehicle's license plate, made a motor vehicle stop at 11:15 a.m. at the corner of Terrill Road and Edwin Place. Santiago was transported to Fanwood, processed, and released upon posting bail. 

Sunday, May 30:

• Police arrested Brian Rothman, 32, of Methune, Maine, for drunk driving. At 3:40 a.m., officers stopped Rothman's car between Martine Avenue and Marion Lane in Scotch Plains. While talking with Rothman, officers smelled alcohol on his breath and administered a field sobriety test, which Rothman failed. He was transported to headquarters, processed, and released to a responsible party.
• Police arrested Kenny Miller, 20, of Plainfield, for possession of marijuana. Police made a motor vehicle stop at 4:19 p.m. at the corner of Terrill Road and East 7th Street. While talking with Miller, officers smelled an odor of marijuana. Upon searching his vehicle, they discovered the substance. Miller was transported to headquarters, issued a summons, and released pending a court date. 

Monday, May 31:

• Police arrested Jeselynn Pyne, 19, of Rahway, for possession of marijuana. Officers made a motor vehicle stop at 2:56 p.m. at the corner of Terrill Road and Midway Avenue. Upon talking with Pyne, officers detected the odor of marijuana coming from her car. Officers searched Pyne's vehicle and recovered a small bag of the substance. She was transported to headquarters, issued a summons, and released pending a court date. 

Wednesday, June 2:

• Police arrested Collins Kysi, 19, of Roselle, for an outstanding warrant. At 7:48 a.m., officers stopped Kysi's car at the corner of South Avenue and Old South Avenue East, and discovered the warrant after checking his driver's license. Kysi was transported to headquarters, and turned over to Woodbridge Police.