KPD: The thin & thick of it

A man described as a known shoplifter” called attention to himself last week when he went into a local Radio Shack carrying a slender backpack and emerged with a chubby one, Kearny police reported.

Chief John Dowie said Det. Michael Gonzalez was on patrol in an unmarked car on Passaic Ave. on Sept. 1 when, at 2:15 p.m., he recognized Leroy Holmes, 43, of Newark, whom he saw enter and leave several stores without apparently making any purchases. Then Holmes visited the electronics store, and his backpack no longer appeared empty, police said. Gonzalez stopped the suspect and advised him of his observations. From the backpack, Holmes, who allegedly identified himself as “Eric Mendoza,” produced two sets of headphones, but no receipts, police said.

After it was confirmed that the merchandise belonged to Radio Shack, police said, Holmes was charged with shoplifting and hindering apprehension.

Other recent reports from the Kearny police blotter included the following:

 Aug. 29 

Det. Gonzalez was on assignment on Harrison Ave. at 1 a.m. when he stopped a car for a lighting violation and found that the driver had a suspended license.

Donnell McAllister, 29, of Jersey City was arrested for that offense.

Aug. 31 

Officer Jordenson Jean responded to a 2:15 a.m. collision at the Belleville Pike and Schuyler Ave. between an SUV and a Mercedes. After conducting field sobriety tests, he arrested Susana Erazo, 23, of West New York, the driver of the latter vehicle, on a DWI charge. She was also charged with failure to take an Alcotest, careless driving and failure to maintain a lane. Police said Erazo was not injured and the SUV driver refused medical attention.

Just 10 minutes later, at 2:25, Lt. Anthony Gouveia witnessed a Ford Explorer nearly hit a parked car in the area of Bergen and Highland Aves., turn onto Maple St., and almost hit another, police said. With Officer Ben Wuelfing as back-up, Gouveia stopped the SUV and questioned the driver, Electerio Videz, 58, of Kearny, who allegedly became uncooperative when asked to perform FSTs. Videz was subsequently charged with DWI, driving with a suspended license and refusing to take an Alcotest.

Sept. 2 

At 2 p.m., Officer Jean responded to Walmart after store security reported that a man, carrying some sort of blade, was opening packages and concealing items. Police said Jean approached suspect Valentino Rogers, 27, of Newark, and found him to be in possession of a box-cutter, a cell phone and two Bluetooths. (Blueteeth?) Rogers was charged with shoplifting, possession of burglar tools and on an outstanding Irvington warrant — for shoplifting.

Officer Brian Wisely responded to a 6 p.m. report of a woman screaming on the 500 block of Forest St. and found her to be involved in a verbal altercation with Danny Vincente, 26, of Kearny. As Wisely tried to mediate, Vincente entered a motor vehicle and sped away, police said.

The officer intercepted him on Brighton Ave. and asked for his driving credentials, but Vincente reportedly ignored him and tried to enter a dwelling. He was again stopped, but continued to be uncooperative, police said.

When advised by back-up Officer John Fabula that he was under arrest for failure to comply, he resisted being cuffed, scratched Wisely and had to be wrestled to the ground and forcibly placed in the patrol car, police said. Vincente was charged with obstruction, aggravated assault on a police officer and resisting arrest, along with being issued several MV violations.

Sept. 3 

Officer Fabula, answering a 4:45 p.m. call about a large, disabled truck at Schuyler and Bergen Aves., arrived to find a 2000 Kenworth (check Google Images) blocking the intersection. Police said the behemoth was found to have been unregistered since January 2013, and the driver, Ronald Smith, 63, of Willingboro, to have a suspended license. He was charged with that offense, and the truck was towed from the scene.

At 8:45 p.m., Officer Daniel Esteves arrested 27-yearold Stephanie Dealmeida of Kearny on three outstanding Kearny warrants. After transporting her to headquarters, he searched his patrol car and found that she had apparently discarded marijuana in the back seat. Along with the warrants, she was charged with possession of the drug and drug paraphernalia.

Sept. 4 

At 11 a.m., Officer Jack Grimm, on patrol near the Harrison Ave./Belleville Pike viaduct, found a disabled Honda operated by Shamar Johnson, 21, of East Orange. Checking his mobile computer, Grimm found that the car’s registration was expired and that Johnson’s license was suspended. Further inquiries revealed an outstanding East Orange warrant for the driver, who was arrested and taken to HQ. The Honda was impounded.

At 10:30 p.m., relative to an ongoing prostitution investigation, Vice Squad detectives arrested Adora (a/k/a Tiffany) Sparks, 25, of New York City after she allegedly solicited one of the officers. A search found her to be in possession of more than $500 in cash, presumed to be the proceeds of prostitution, said $500 to be forfeited to the prosecutor’s office.

Sept. 5 

Officer Wuelfing, patrolling at Kearny Ave. and Duke St. at 2:30 a.m., found a Mazda, parked but running, with the driver asleep behind the wheel. After Wuelfing managed to awaken him, the man reportedly tried to drive away, but this was futile since his emergency brake was on. The driver then stumbled out of the car, police said, and when asked for his license, began to unzip his pants.

Wuelfing asked that he cease and desist, and he complied. But Marshall King, 25, of Hillside, was still charged with DWI and DWI in a school zone.

–Karen Zautyk

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