Spring 2003 Edition       

Police Blotter   Edwin Deida, 35 of Prospect Park, N.J. was arrested for DWI by P.O. Peter Yuskaitis after he became involved in a traffic accident at Broadway and Lyncrest Ave. In addition, Deida was charged with two counts of aggravated assault for allegedly assaulting Officer Yuskaitis and P.O. Michael O’Brien during processing by kicking and hitting the officers. Deida also received traffic summonses for Reckless Driving, Failing wear a seatbelt, operating with an open container of an alcoholic beverage in the vehicle, failing to have liability insurance, failing to exhibit documents at a request of a police officer and an equipment violation. He was released to a responsible person after posting $10,000 with 10% option.He is scheduled to appear in court on March 5th at 7 p.m.   A Paterson woman reported that an unauthorized person had stolen a check from her for over $200  and then cashed it at United Check Cashing on Broadway, At 1:50 p.m. on March 3rd, a Hispanic Male attempted to cash a check for $800. The man fled the store when the owner attempted to verify the authenticity of the check.It was later determined that the check was not authorized.  On March 3rd another incident was reported at the Check Cashing store also. A black male had entered the establishment and cashed a check for over $500. He returned later and attempted to cash another check but fled when the owner became suspicious.The checks were determined to be fraudelant. No further description of the suspects is available at this time.   Fair Lawn Fire Company #4 and the Fair Lawn Police Department responded to a 9-1-1 call from a child reporting a fire at Thomas Jefferson Middle School. The call was determined to be a false alarm by the fire department. The police department is investigating further.   A local business on River Rd. reported that a trespasser had recently been in their building and that the man matched the description of a person recently arrested by the police department for similar offenses at other businesses. The business became aware of the trespassing suspect after reading an email alert from the Fair Lawn Police Dept to businesses on their email alert list.Det. John Ietto is investigating further.   P.O. James Corcoran arrested Matthew J. Lowenstein, 18 of Fair Lawn and a 15 year old juvenile from Fair Lawn after stopping them for a traffic violation at Essex St. and Bellair Ave. The 15 year old driver was arrested for DWI, driving without a license, failing to produce required documents, operating with an open container of alcohol and refusing a breathalyzer test. He was released to his father pending further court action. Lowenstein was charged with underage possession of alcohol and possessing an open container of alcohol within a motor vehicle. He was released on his own recognizance.   A resident of Raymond St. reported that someone had thrown eggs at his vehicle while it was parked unattended between 9 p.m. and 11:45 p.m.   A Paramus resident was traveling south on Rt. 208 in a 1993 Mazda Van when the engine compartment of her car caught on fire. She pulled off the road south of Maple Ave. and exited the vehicle without any injury. Fair Lawn Fire company #2 responded to extinguish the fire.   A resident reported that someone had used his identity to open an account in his name without his authoriztion. The matter is being investigated.   A resident reported that a person known to him walked up to his car at 26th St. and Broadway and broke his driver’s side window with his fist.   The Fair Lawn Fire Dept. responded to the Maurice Pine Free Public Library for an activated fire alarm. Further investigation revealed that a small child had pulled the alarm and the alarm was declared false.   A resident of Fairclough Place reported that someone had stolen packages from in front of her residence that she had left for a commercial delivery service. The theft occurred sometime between 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.   A doctor’s office on Saddle River Rd. reported the theft of medical equipment from the office sometime between March 4th and March 7th.   A burglary was reported on Pomona Ave. sometime between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Entry was gained by breaking a window next to the front door and then reaching inside to unlock the door. Jewelry was taken.   A truck driver reported that while traveling east on Broadway near Rt. 208, he experienced transmission problems. When he pulled to the side of the road he discovered that the truck had caught fire. The Fair Lawn Fire Department responded and extinguished the fire.   Pathmark Supermarket reported that a white male, approx. 5’11”, thin build wearing a white baseball cap attempted to shoplift 4 packages of diapers. He fled the scene when confronted by store personnel.   Glen Toyota reported that two cars from stolen from their parking lot. The first was a silver   2003 SUV ,the second was a 2002 Toyota Camry.   A resident of 17th St. reported a package that contained a computer to be picked up by a commercial delivery service was stolen from her front porch between 1:30 p.m. and 2:08 p.m.   Blockbuster Video on River Road reported a shoplifting. A Hispanic male accompanied by a female allegedly stole 5 DVD’s or videogames by concealing them under his jacket. The male had been wearing a blue jacket and a black knit cap with yellow trim.   A resident of Hastings Ct. reported that his car window was smashed while parked unattended overnight between the hours of midnight and 8:25 a.m. Nothing was reported missing.    Walgreen’s Pharmacy reported a theft of 4 cartons of cigarettes. The suspect was described as a black female,22-30 years old, thin build, large brown eyes and about 5’6” tall.    Nilda Torres ,52 of Paterson was arrested for DWI by Officer Joseph Dawicki after Dawicki responded to a motor vehicle accident at Wagaraw Rd. and Heights Ave.Torres was released to a responsible person after processing pending an appearance in Fair Lawn Municipal Court on March 5th at 7 p.m.    An employee of an office building on Rt 208 reported that someone had stolen her cellphone from her office.    A resident of Midland Ave. reported that someone had attempted to break into his home by breaking a pane of glass in a rear window of his home sometime in the past 6 weeks.    P.O. Michael O’Brien arrested Bernhard F. Cordts Jr.,78 of Hawthorne after a motorist called headquarter via cellphone to report an erratic driver on Maple Ave. Cordts was also given a summons for failing to keep right. Cordts was released to a family member after processing pending an appearance in Fair Lawn Municipal Court on March 5th at 7 p.m.    The parents of a 7 year old child reported that their son was assaulted by another child at Milnes School with a chunk of ice. The child was reported to have received 22 stitches.   A burglary was reported on Jerome Place.  Entry was made by prying open a rear window. Two white males operating an older black Nissan Maxima had been seen in the area. A motorist reported that another motorist kicked his car during a traffic dispute at Fair Lawn Ave. and George St.   A restaurant on Fair Lawn Ave. reported that two men ordered  meals and when they finished eating they ran out of the restaurant without paying. They were described as Hispanic males in their mid-20’s with one of them wearing a white baseball cap backwards. They were last seen running south on 20th St.   A motorist reported that her vehicle was stolen from the parking lot of the Hyway Theatre, 22-60 Broadway while she was in the theatre watching a movie. Between 9:35 p.m. and 11:50 p.m. The vehicle was a 2002 Ford Mustang, color red. The motorists purse and several other items were inside the car when it was stolen.   A theft occurred at the Lincoln Amoco Service Station on Wagaraw Road. Three men in a blue car pulled into the service station. While one of the men asked for directions to New York City in order to distract the attendant. Another man apparently stole money from the cash drawer. Approx. $2000 was stolen. The men were described as white males wearing light clothing. One was unshaven and had a black knit cap. The men left the scene in a  blue small newer car with partial New Jersey License plate, XL.   A Paterson resident reported that he left a handbag atop an ATM machine on Maple Ave. when he returned, the hangbag was missing.   Nathan Jodice, 21 of Wayne, N.J. was arrested for shoplifting at Shop Rite Supermarket after a security officer allegedly conceal several packages of batteries under his jacket and attempt to leave the store. After being placed under arrest by P.O. Michael O’Brien and P.O. Louis Evangelista a makeshift peipe made of aluminum foil that is commonly used for illegal drug consumption was allegedly found in his coat pocket. Jodice was charged with Shoplifting and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and released on his own recognizance pending an appearance in Fair Lawn Municipal Court.   A motorist reported that a bag of kitchen knives and two shirts were stolen from his vehicle as it was parked over night on a driveway on 4th St. sometime between 11:30 p.m. and 8 a.m.   A resident of Chandler Drive reported that someone had scratched his car while parked in the parking lot of the Knollcroft Apartments sometime between 3 p.m. on Feb. 22nd and 8 a.m. on Feb 24th. A resident reported that someone had used his social security number to open various accounts in his name and charge over $25,000  without his authorization.   A stolen vehicle was recovered in the Shop Rite parking lot, 17-17 River Road. The vehicle had been stolen in Newark, N.J.   A resident of Morlot Ave. reported that a window on her car was broken sometime between 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. while parked at Fair Lawn High School.   A resident of Allwood Dr. reported a burglary that occurred sometime between 2 p.m. on Feb. 9th and 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 11th. Entry was gained through a kitchen window. Approxiamately 20-30 pieces of jewelry were reported stolen.   A resident reported that someone had opened a credit card account using his name and social security card number. He became aware of the account when a representative of Fleet Bank contacted him to request more information for security purposes. No charges were made on the account and the account was closed by the bank. The matter remains under investigation.   Alice Carr, 59 of Fair Lawn was charged with Forgery, Theft by Deception and Contempt  by Officer James Corcoran after Corcoran received a complaint from another individual that Carr had assumed her identity and used the other person’s identity to charge obtain services from a local animal hospital.  Carr was released after posting 10% of $5000 bail pending a court appearance on Feb 5th at 7 p.m.   Timothy R. Jack, 41 of Elmwood Park was arrested for shoplifting after  an employee of Shop Rite Liquors, 35-07 Broadway allegedly observed Jack conceal a bottle of Sambuca and attempt to leave the store without paying. Jack is being held at the Bergen County Jail in lieu of $500 bail with no 10% option. He is scheduled to appear in Fair Lawn Municipal Court on Feb. 14th at 1 p.m.   An employee in the office building at 15-01 Broadway reported that someone had removed $400 cash from her wallet when it was left unattended on her desk between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m.   Officer Edward Egan responded to a house on 33rd St. after a resident reported seeing a suspicious man in her backyard who was wearing dark clothes and a ski mask. A check of a neighbor’s house revealed  that a screen had been pulled from a bathroom window and a kitchen window had been broken. Det. John Ietto is continuing the investigation.   A burglary was reported on the two block of 30th St. that occurred sometime between 8 p.m. and 10:14 p.m. Entry was gained by breaking glass in a rear door. Currency and Jewelry were reported missing. Det. John Ietto is investigating.   A Fair Lawn High School student and her mother reported the reported the theft of two phone cards valued at $50 from the girls locker room.   Allen Ziembia, 27 of Paterson was charged with Shoplifting after an employee of Shop Rite Supermarket, 17-17 River Road allegedly conceal 10 packages of razors and then attempt to leave the store without paying. Ziembia was turned over to the Paterson Police Department after processing once it was learned that that agency had a warrant for his arrest.   A car fire was reported on Nottingham Road. Fair Lawn Fire Company #4 extinguished the fire. The cause of the fire was determined to be from a ruptured fuel line.   Sgt. Glen Cauwels observed a man walking east on Morlot Ave near 5th St. A few minutes later, he noticed the same man riding a bicycle. The man, later identified as Reinaldo Nieves, 38 of Trenton, N.J. was stopped for investigation for possible bicycle theft. During the course of the stop, Sgt. Cauwels learned that Nieves had an active warrant for his arrest from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office. Nieves was subsequently turned over to the Prosecutor’s Office.   A resident of Glen Rock reported that her pocketbook had been stolen from her shopping cart at the Shop Rite Supermarket, 17-17 River Road. The matter is under investigation.    A fire was reported on Garrison Terrace in the garage of a private home. It was extinguished by the Fair Lawn Fire Department. There were no reported injuries. Furniture that was stored in the garage was damaged. Fair Lawn Fire Marshall Jay Bender determined that the fire started in a central vacuum motor.   The TSS gas station on Maple Ave reported that a man drove away without paying for gas. The attendant obtained the license plate number . The matter is under investigation.   A suspicious person was observed by a neighbor walk around a resident’s house on Canger Place and looking into a window. He was described as a male, 5’11  wearing a dark colored hooded jacket. He fled the scene prior to the arrival of the police.   A juvenile reported that he was punched in the head during the course of an argument at Mc Donald’s Restaurant on Broadway. Another juvenile reported that she was assaulted also. The juvenile’s parents were given the option of signing a complaint.   Officer James Corcoran while on patrol, that three branches from a tree owned by the Borough of Fair Lawn apparently had apparently been broken by a person unknown maliciously in front of 13-19 River Road   A resident reported that someone had made withdrawls from her bank account via an ATM machine without her authorization. The matter is being investigated.   A letter carrier with the United States Postal Service reported that she was chased by a dog on Mandon Place. The carrier was given the option of signing a complaint against the dog owner.   P.O. Brian Metzler observed a damaged garbage receptacle owned by the Borough of Fair Lawn in the roadway at Plaza Road and Ramsey Terrace. It appeared to have been struck by an automobile. A resident reported that an unknown person made a purchase in her name from a company in Brooklyn. Also several credit cards were applied for in her name. The matter is under investigation.   Grecenia Checo, 30 of Fair Lawn was charged with DWI by P.O. Michael O’Brien after O’Brien observed her driving erractically on Broadway by Cyril Ave.Checo was released on her own recognizance pending an appearance in Fair Lawn Municipal Court on Feb 5,2003 at 7 p.m.   Jorge L. Carabillo, 31 of Fair Lawn was arrested by P.O. Thomas Check with the assistance of P.O. Mary Ann Collura and Det. Derek Bastinck for Hindering His Own Apprehension. Carabillo is alleged to have lied about his identity when officers were investigating the possiblilty that he had a warrant for his arrest. Carbillo was released on his own recognizance pending an appearance in Fair Lawn Muncipal Court.   P.O. Donald MacIsaac responded to a report of an intoxicated male on Wagaraw Road. Upon his arrival, Joel Mario Panay, 19 of Hawthorne allegedly was found to be in possession of marijuana and a counterfeit driver’s license. He is alleged also to have falsely identified himself to the officer by using a relative’s name. Panay was released on his own recognizance pending an appearance in Fair Lawn Municipal Court on February 7th at 1 p.m.   A resident reported that an unknown person had opened a cell phone account in her name using her name address and social security number without her authorization.   A resident reported that she had received an email from a person claiming to be a representative of eBay.com that they needed personal information including her social security number, driver’s license # ,date of birth and full name to verify her business account with them. When she contacted eBay to question it, they stated that they never sent such an email. The Fair Lawn Police Department would like to remind residents that this can be a tactic used by some criminals to commit identity theft. Personal information should never be given over the internet unless they are sure they have a secure, encrypted connection and they are sure that the receiver is the person or business who you wish to have the information.   Fair Lawn High School reported a fist fight between two students on a field adjacent to the school. Minor injuries were reported. The school will handle the matter administratively.   An assault was reported at a business on Fair Lawn Ave that occurred between a businessman and a customer. No injuries were reported.