KEARNY —
As it does each year, the KPD has been assigning extra officers to patrol local malls and store parking lots, offering heightened security to holiday shoppers. Last week, their efforts led to the arrest and incarceration of two men on weapons charges.
On Monday, Dec. 12, Vice Unit members were in the Walmart lot at 8:15 p.m., when — reportedly from his past interaction with cops — they recognized George Colon, 22, of Kearny, sitting in the driver’s seat of a parked 1999 Honda. Police said Colon and his passenger, Denix Rodriguez, 20, of Elizabeth, appeared to be ingesting a certain illegal substance.
Approaching the auto on foot, the officers reportedly detected the scent of said substance and saw, in the center-console ashtray, a partially smoked marijuana cigar. Six clear bags of pot were said to be on the rear seat, and Rodriguez allegedly was found to have a small amount of cocaine in his pocket.
When the men were ordered from the car, police said, the handle of a handgun could be seen protruding from an armrest — a weapon that turned out to be a fully-loaded (12 rounds) Browning 9 mm. semi-automatic. According to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), the gun had been reported stolen during a burglary in Kearny in 2013.
Both Colon and Rodriguez were arrested for receiving stolen property and unlawful possession of a weapon, as well as on drug/paraphernalia-possession charges. In addition, police said, Colon had a $2,000 Jersey City warrant [offense not specified] and a $50,000 full-bail burglary warrant from Harrison.
Both suspects were remanded to the Hudson County Jail.
