News from the Nutley Police blotter

Dec. 27

A Wilmington St. resident reported a fraud to police, saying that someone changed the address on his N.J. driver’s license and sent it to another person in California who then reportedly used that information to make withdrawals from the resident’s bank account. Police are investigating.

A Haggert St. business owner complained to police that his place of business has been repeatedly targeted by graffiti markers and littered with drug paraphernalia. Police said they’ve increased patrols in the area.

At 1:44 a.m., police responded to a motor vehicle accident on Franklin Ave. where the driver of a Toyota wagon crashed into a parked car near Washington and McKinley Aves. Police said the driver told them he momentarily took his eyes off the road to check his cellular phone when the mishap occurred. Police issued him a summons.

Dec. 26

Employees at a Franklin Ave. business told police that after being asked to fill out an employment application, a man became irate and told the employee he planned to rob them, adding that he was under the influence and, therefore, couldn’t complete the application but planned to return to do so. Police said the man was described as black with dreadlocks dyed orange, with facial tattoos, about six feet tall, wearing all purple.

A William St. resident was injured trying to catch up to three juveniles repeatedly ringing his doorbell, police said. While chasing them, the resident hurt his knee and needed medical attention, police said. At 2:56 a.m., police said they were called to a Centre St. establishment on a report of a fight in the parking lot. Police said they resolved the dispute which they described as verbal only.

Dec. 25

An Oak St. resident called police at 10:23 a.m. to report that their car had been burglarized during the early morning hours and that several items were stolen. Detectives are investigating.

Dec. 24

At 11:45 p.m., a Humbert St. tenant called police to report she’d been burglarized and that a number of items were missing. The incident is being investigated.

At 3:59 p.m., police said they responded to a disturbance at an E. Centre St. residence where a tenant’s Christmas tree had fallen, causing him to be upset. Police calmed the tenant and cleared the scene.

Police said they were called to a Bloomfield Ave. business location after the employees discovered people were checking out their property via video surveillance but apparently never took anything.

Dec. 23

Police spent part of the day searching for a 16-year-old girl whose parents had reported her missing on Dec. 20. Police said the girl returned the following day on her own free will after having spent the last couple of days with friends.

A Hoboken resident reported to police that a pair of diamond earrings valued at nearly $6,000 was stolen from the front seat of his vehicle while it was parked on Franklin Ave. in Nutley. The victim told police he’d purchased the jewelry and visited two locations in Nutley and one in Hoboken before realizing that the earrings were missing. Police are investigating.

At 10:12 a.m., an Evergreen Ave. resident reported that their 1999 Honda had been burglarized and that the steering column had been broken by an apparent would-be car thief. Police are investigating.

At 8:57 a.m., a Stanley Ave. resident reported finding the door to a shed in their rear yard wide open that morning. The shed had been secured with an unlocked padlock, the resident told police. The resident told police they also found their front yard gates, normally shut, open. Nothing was apparently taken, police said.

Dec. 22

At 9:45 a.m., police went to a Meacham Ave. location on a report of an auto burglary. The victim told police that when they arrived at their vehicle, they noticed a piece of the ignition on the driver’s side floor of the vehicle and the passenger side door compromised. They said they had an alarm on the vehicle but it didn’t sound.

A motor vehicle accident, at around 2 a.m., on Washington Ave. resulted in the arrest of Ernesto Valle, 27, of Kearny, on a DWI charge, police said. Valle was also ticketed on charges of use of handheld wireless phone and careless driving and was released after getting a mandatory court date.

At 1:25 a.m., police responded to a motor vehicle accident on Centre St. resulting in the arrest of Tina Kampolis, 46, of Nutley, on charges of DWI and aggravated assault on a police officer. Kampolis also was issued summonses charging her with refusal to submit to an Alcotest and careless driving. She was released with a mandatory court date after posting bail.

– Ron Leir

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