News from the Nutley Police Blotter

March 9

Juan Orellana, 23, of Hasbrouck Heights, was arrested for DWI while traveling on River Road at 2:39 a.m. He was taken to headquarters where he was released to a responsible adult.

A 22-year-old West Orange man was found bleeding from the head in Municipal Lot 2 at 1:46 a.m. The man told police he’d been assaulted by an unknown man after leaving a bar near Franklin Ave. and Centre St. The Nutley Rescue Squad examined him. Police are investigating.

March 8

Police are investigating a possible identity theft in connection with the case of a River Road resident who reported getting a mailing from the IRS stating that it was auditing the resident’s tax return and that a refund would be delayed. The resident called the IRS to say that he hadn’t yet fi led his return and was advised to call police.

Someone stole a 2012 motorcycle and other items from an Overlook Terrace resident’s garage. The theft was reported to police at 5:16 p.m. Police are investigating.

Police are investigating the painting of graffiti on the rear of several E. Centre St. businesses facing Owens Park. The vandalism was reported at 4:20 p.m.

Police stopped a vehicle whose trunk was overloaded with scrap metal while it was traveling south on Rt. 21 at 1:17 a.m. Police said they learned that the scrap metal was unlawfully removed from Rutherford and the vehicle and driver were turned over to Rutherford P.D.

March 7

The owner of a vehicle parked on Franklin Ave. returned to the car to fi nd its rear window shattered with a baseball bat lying on the rear seat. The incident happened while the Nutley High School baseball team was practicing in the nearby Park Oval, police said.

March 6

A 22-year-old Nutley man was struck by a motor vehicle while skateboarding in a crosswalk at Bloomfi eld Ave. and Cedar St. at 6:29 p.m. The man suffered minor injuries, police said.

A search for a missing women with Alzheimer’s disease ended happily. Police said the search began at 6:03 p.m. when they were called to a Cortland St. residence where a 79-year-old woman afflicted with Alzheimer’s had been reported unaccounted for. After canvassing the area for several hours, a police broadcast to surrounding communities resulted in police finding the woman safe in a Clifton residence on Dwas Lane. Police the resident invited the woman inside and contacted police.

Intruders broke into a Mapes Ave. home, sometime between 8:15 a.m. and 5:13 p.m., ransacked every room and removed many items. Police are asking anyone who may have seen something suspicious in the area to call the Detective Bureau at (973) -284-4938.

A teacher at a local private school not identified by police reported the theft of her cellular phone, valued at $300, from her desk drawer. She reported the incident at 3:50 p.m. Police are investigating.

Someone reportedly opened several postal packages before they were delivered to a River Road resident although nothing was reported missing from the packages. Police advised the resident to contact the carrier. The resident reported the matter at 10:26 a.m.

March 5

Police received a complaint from an Oakley Terrace resident at 7:48 p.m. about a contractor who took a deposit for the replacement of wall tile in a bathroom and hasn’t returned to the job for more than five weeks.

A Prospect St. resident called police at 10:47 a.m. to report that two trespassers entered the resident’s rear yard to take metal scrap. Police couldn’t locate the pair.

A vandal sprayed black paint over the rear door of a Franklin Ave. building owner during the night. The incident was reported at 9:52 a.m. Police are investigating.

Police responded to a motor vehicle accident on Franklin Ave. at 3:06 a.m. and arrested Phanrapee Premabhuti, 24, of Nutley, for DWI. He was ticketed, taken to headquarters and released to a responsible adult.

March 3

At 9:59 p.m. police found Frank Ruglio, 24, of Nutley, staggering at Franklin Ave. and Chestnut St. Police said Ruglio was drunk and had an outstanding warrant for $5,000 from Newark. After struggling with cops, Ruglio was charged with resisting arrest and the warrant and was taken to an area hospital for treatment.

Police are investigating the theft of unknown proceeds from a Mapes Ave. residence. The incident was reported at 2:45 p.m.

An 11:56 a.m. call brought police to the Rite Aid on Franklin Ave. where the manager reported that several pallets had been stolen from outside the store. Police are investigating.

March 2

Three Nutley juveniles in a vehicle parked in Municipal Lot 1 were found to be in possession of marijuana at 11:09 p.m., according to police. All three were turned over to the custody of legal guardians and charges are pending against one of the three – a 17-year-old boy – through the Juvenile Bureau.

Police are investigating possible credit card fraud following the report of a Chestnut St. resident that she had a zero balance on her account and a fraudulent charge on her card. The resident told police that her research disclosed that the card had been used at several area establishments.

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