Burglar surprises sleeping teen: cops

KPD Jorge Palomeque
KPD
Jorge Palomeque

KEARNY – 

A Newark man was arrested in the early-morning hours of July 18 after allegedly burglarizing a ground-floor apartment in the area of Kearny Ave. and Rose St.

Police said he climbed through a bedroom window shortly before 3 a.m., startling the sleeping occupant, a 16-year-old girl. She screamed and he fled, back out the window. Authorities believe the man had not known the girl was in the room and his intent had been burglary, not harming her.

After KPD units were alerted to a possible burglary in progress in the neighborhood, Officer Joe Martin observed a garbage can propped beneath an open window of one home — “a common method of entry for burglars,” Chief John Dowie noted.

Martin contacted the residents and interviewed the girl, who provided a description of the intruder she had frightened away. Martin issued a BOLO, searched the area, located and detained Jorge Palomeque, 26, near Kearny Ave. and Dukes St.

Palomeque was “sweating profusely” and had white paint, consistent with that around the window, on both arms, police said. He was reportedly identified by the girl when she was brought to the scene for a drive-by ID.

The suspect was arrested, charged with burglary and was subsequently released on bail.

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