Police Blotter: Missing Wallet, Stolen Comforter

April 24: A Union woman told police at 8:41 a.m. that after paying for her groceries at a store in the Essex Green Shopping Plaza, she left her wallet in her cart and returned it to the cart carousel.

When she returned to her car, however, she realized she left her wallet in the cart and returned to the carousel. She contacted the store but the wallet was not recovered. The wallet contained $180 cash, a New Jersey Nursing license, a NJ driver’s license and her Social Security card. Police advised her to cancel her credit cards.

April 24:  An eyewitness told police at around 3:35 p.m. she saw a woman in the lower level of the Macy’s in Essex Green Shopping Plaza exit the store with two large comforter bags.

The suspect, described as a heavyset black woman in her mid-30s, approximately 5-foot, 5-inches tall with short blond hair, approached a black sedan that was parked in front of Al’s Pizzeria in the fire lane and placed both comforters in the back seat of the car before getting into the car’s passenger seat. The car then left the lot and travelled on Rooney Circle before disappearing. 

The two comforters were described as Paris 20-piece comforter sets with a total value of $984.40.

No video footage was available of the woman, police said.

April 24: A plumber working at an Ash Avenue home at 7:34 p.m. told police he was doing work in the home’s bathroom when one of the four lights in the bathroom began to flicker.

The plumber said he heard a noise coming from the area of the lights and turned off the light switch. When he walked outside, the homeowner told him smoke was coming from the roof of the residence. The West Orange Fire Department put out the fire and deemed the incident non-suspicious.

April 25: A Roseland man told police following a car accident on Route 280 Sunday, his car was towed by Twin Towing.

When the car owner returned to retrieve the car, he found two pairs of sunglasses, valued at $650, were missing from the car. The towing company said they had no idea what happened to the sunglasses.

The car was unlocked with the keys in the ignition, police said.

April 26: West Orange police are investigating an incident where a Sparta guest at the Courtyard by Marriot paid for a room and several guest services at the hotel with a declined credit card. 

All attempts to contact the suspect since the incident have been unsuccessful.

April 27: A 17-year-old Verona youth has been arrested for attempting to purchase alcohol at Don’s Wines and Liquors.

The youth asked the clerk for a bottle on display in the store. Officers in the store approached the youth and asked him for identification. 

Once the police realized he was only 17, he was arrested and taken to the Juvenile Affairs Bureau and processed.

He was later released into his father’s custody and will have to appear in Superior Court to face the charges.

April 28: West Orange police arrested a 45-year-old East Orange man on outstanding warrants charges after questioning him in Kmart Plaza at 3:37 p.m.

Darren Leroy Artis was walking on Eagle Rock Avenue when police recognized him and stopped him. A police check found Artis had outstanding warrants from South Orange for $1,000, Livingston for $500, Kearny for $250 and East Orange for $208. 

Following his arrest, he was taken to police headquarters.