November 15, 2022: Burglary: Maplewood Patrol units during the overnight hours responded to the area of Boyden Avenue on a Burglary in progress. Patrols were able to locate a 64 yr. old male leaving the property with a crowbar in hand. Officer on scene investigated and noticed forced entry to a rear door of the residence and detected a smell of gas. Several pipes in the basement were cut and were in the process of being removed by the male and it was determined one pipe cut was a gas line. MFD and PSE&G was notified and responded. The male was placed into custody and charged with Burglary, Burglary Tools, and Criminal Mischief and transported to Essex County Correctional Facility.
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On 11/13/2022 at approximately 2340hrs, central dispatch received a 911 call from a resident who reported an attempted strong-arm robbery that had occurred 20 mins prior at the intersection of North Terr and Edgewood Pl. The 42-year-old female victim reported that while walking home from the Maplewood train station, she observed a black colored SUV pull up beside her and a passenger exit the vehicle. The suspect was a black male approximately 5’10 in height wearing dark clothing and covering his face with a black scarf. The suspect pushed the victim to the ground and attempted to pull her pocketbook from her shoulder as he punched her several times. The victim refused to release her belongings and the suspect gave up and ran back to an awaiting vehicle and was last seen traveling Northbound on North Terr. towards Parker Avenue. Nothing was reported taken from the victim, and victim refused medical attention.
Anyone with information or video of the suspects should contact Detective Zuhowski at 973-761-7929 or email JZUHOWSKI@MAPLEWOODNJ.GOV
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November 10, 2022: Larceny/Theft: A resident of Hughes Street reported that an unknown timeframe her front plate was removed from her Honda CRV that was parked in her driveway.
November 10, 2022: Theft from Motor Vehicle: A West Orange resident reported while her unsecured/unlocked vehicle was parked in the parking lot of 1565 Springfield Avenue her backpack was removed from her vehicle when she returned to her vehicle.
November 10, 2022: Theft from Motor Vehicle: A unsecured/unlocked vehicle that was parked at the Maplewood County Club was entered and a fanny pack was removed from the vehicle by an unknown person between the hours of 1440 – 1530 hrs. on 11/10/22.
November 03, 2022: Larceny/Theft: A resident of Elmwood Ave (Winchester Gardens) reported a past tense theft of jewelry valued at $1500.00 that was removed from her room sometime in October.
November 01, 2022; Larceny/Theft: A resident of Schaefer Road had two dirt bikes removed from his garage during the overnight hours on 11/1/22. Security footage on property shows a black male wearing dark clothing removing the bikes from the garage.
November 01, 2022: Theft from Motor Vehicle: A vehicle left unsecured with the key fob inside was entered on Oakview Avenue during the overnight hours and the fob was removed from the vehicle.
In addition to the above events, there was One shoplifting incident during this time frame.
October 30, 2022: Theft from Motor Vehicle: A resident of North Terr had their unsecured/unlocked vehicle entered that was parked in the driveway of the home. Unknown juveniles removed keys from the vehicle.
October 29, 2022: Motor Vehicle Theft: Owner reports parking his vehicle in the parking lot of 1521 Springfield Avenue (Bank of America) and upon returning his vehicle was missing. Owner reports locking and securing his vehicle.
October 29, 2022: Motor Vehicle Theft: Owner parked his vehicle and left vehicle unlocked and running on Springfield Avenue and when he returned his vehicle was last seen traveling Westbound on Springfield Avenue.
October 25, 2022: Package Theft: A resident of Irvington Avenue reported a package stolen from his front porch after being delivered.
October 24, 2022: Burglary: A resident of Springfield Avenue was a victim of a burglary that occurred on 10/23/22 at 2018 hrs. At time of report an unknown person entered the apartment through a bedroom window and ransacked the apartment. Maplewood Patrol Officers while working with the caller were able to conduct a stop on a male on Springfield Avenue that our caller was able to positively identify as being on the property. The male was arrested on scene without further incident along with the proceeds from the burglary. Actor was charged with Burglary and released from Headquarters on a Summons.
October 20, 2022: Package Theft: A resident of Boyden Avenue had a package stolen from his front steps shortly after it was delivered. Resident reports seeing a black male walk onto his property and remove the package and was last seen fleeing in a Red Camry.
October 20, 2022: Motor Vehicle Theft: A vehicle left unsecured/running with the key in it was stolen from a driveway on Boyden Avenue while the owner was warming up his vehicle. Detectives eventually recovered the vehicle in NYC the next day parked and unsecured
October 16, 2022: Larceny Theft from Auto: On 10/16/22 an unlocked/unsecured vehicle on Lexington Avenue was entered and a wallet was removed.
October 15, 2022; Larceny Theft from Auto: A resident of Hilton Avenue left his vehicle unsecured and sometime between the hours of 2000-0300 hrs. on 10/15/22 a laptop was removed from his vehicle.
In addition to the above events, there were Four shoplifting incidents during this time frame.
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On October 31, 2022, at approximately 06:48 am, the Maplewood Police Department received a call of a male being assaulted in front of his home on Meadowbrook Pl. Patrols responded to the area and were flagged down by a 49-year-old male resident reporting he was just approached by a black sedan and robbed at gunpoint. Approximately three to four black males exited the vehicle, with one brandishing a handgun and physically assaulted the victim throwing him to the ground. The unknown suspects removed the victim’s wallet, cellphone, and keys. Suspects last seen entering the black sedan travelling towards Elmwood Avenue. Victim refused medical attention on scene and suffered swelling around his left eye.
Anyone with information or video of the suspects should contact Detective Gyimoty at 973-761-7927 or email SGYIMOTY@MAPLEWOODNJ.GOV
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On October 18, 2022, at approximately 09:10 pm, a Maplewood Patrol Unit was flagged down by a 25-year-old female resident who reported she was just robbed at the corner of Parker Avenue and Cherry Pl. While walking home Westbound on Parker Avenue a black Honda Accord pulled up next to her and two black males with ski-masks exited the vehicle and confronted her. One male brandished a black handgun grabbed the victim by her backpack and threw her to the ground and then pointed a semi-automatic handgun at her head and stated, “give me everything you got, bitch!”. Actors then take control of her backpack and I-phone 11 from her person and before fleeing kick victim while she is lying on the ground. Actors then enter an awaiting black Honda Accord and are last seen fleeing eastbound on Parker Avenue into Irvington. Victim refused medical attention and at time of this report did not report sustaining any injuries. Victim reports both Actors as being black males approximately 5’ 9” in height, between 18-20 years of age.
Anyone with information or video of the suspects should contact our Detective Bureau at 973-762-7926 or Detective Rella at NRELLA@MAPLEWOODNJ.GOV
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October 14, 2022: Motor Vehicle Theft: A resident of Crestwood Drive while unloading items from their motor vehicle had their unsecured/running vehicle stolen during the afternoon hours on Friday.
October 07, 2022: Motor Vehicle Theft: A vehicle left unsecured with the key in it was stolen from the driveway of Field Road during the overnight hours. Vehicle eventually recovered in Newark several days later.
October 07, 2022: Theft from Vehicle: A unsecured/unlocked motor vehicle was entered during the overnight hours from a resident of Marie Place. Victim reported a laptop was removed from the unsecured vehicle.
October 06, 2022; Motor vehicle Theft: A resident of Claremont Avenue had his vehicle stolen from his driveway during the overnight hours. Owner reports having possession of keys and locking his doors, however was unable to provide proof to Officers on scene having possession of keys. Vehicle recovered in Newark several days later.
In addition to the above events, there were Three shoplifting incidents during this time frame.
September 30, 2022: Motor Vehicle Theft: A resident of Hillcrest Road reported his vehicle parked in front of his home was taken during the overnight hours. It was reported that the vehicle was secured and owner has possession of both keys for the vehicle.
September 30, 2022: Motor Vehicle Theft: Owner parked his vehicle and left vehicle unlocked and running at Wawa located at 1511 Springfield Avenue and when he returned his vehicle was missing. Vehicle recovered in Newark.
September 22, 2022: Motor Vehicle Theft: A vehicle left unsecured with the key in it was stolen from Springfield Avenue while the owner went into the store to shop. Detectives eventually recovered the vehicle in Irvington the next day parked and unsecured.
September 17, 2022: Commercial Burglary: The Maplewood Police Department is investigating a commercial burglary that occurred during the early morning hours on Saturday September 17, 2022 at our T-Mobile Store located at 1857 Springfield Avenue. Unknown Actors gained entry through a rear window of the store and once inside attempted to access the safe. Store Alarm was activated upon entry and actors fled through the backdoor without any proceeds.
September 16, 2022; Motor vehicle Theft: A resident of Broadview Avenue left his vehicle unsecured and running while he entered his home for an item and when he returned the vehicle was seen fleeing Eastbound on Springfield Avenue.
September 16, 2022: Larceny Theft of Bike: At 1541 hrs. an unlocked/unsecured garage on Dunnell Road was entered a bicycle was removed. A 59 yr. old male who was observed entering the garage and removing the bicycle and was taken into custody without incident.
September 14, 2022: Larceny/Theft: A resident of Oregon Street reports a package theft occurred off her front porch and provided police with video footage of the incident. Value of package stolen was reported as $202.58.
September 14,2022: Larceny/Theft: Tuscan Elementary School reported five I-Pads were taken from a cabinet located in the school library. The incident was reported as occurring during the summer at an undetermined time.
September 14, 2022: Larceny/Theft: A vehicle that was parked unlocked/unsecured behind 1882 Springfield Avenue was rummaged through and items were removed from the vehicle.
September 13, 2022: Larceny/Theft: 1511 Springfield Avenue (WAWA) unknown white male attempted to remove energy drinks by placing them into his bookbag. Staff confronted male and bag was left behind in the store.
September 11, 2022: Theft from Auto: At 0400 hours a vehicle left unsecured was rummaged through while parked at 1511 Springfield Avenue (Wawa) and a I-Phone 11 was removed from vehicle.
September 11, 2022: Motor Vehicle Theft: a vehicle left running and unsecured was taken from 1511 Springfield Avenue (WAWA). Vehicle was recovered in Newark a few hours later.
September 10,2022: Theft from Auto: A resident of Jefferson Ave had his unsecured/unlocked vehicle rummaged through during the overnight hours. A black wallet with $200.00 in cash and multiple credit cards was reported stolen.
September 10, 2022: Motor Vehicle Theft: A vehicle left unsecured with the keys in it was stolen from the driveway of a Jefferson Ave residence.
September 09, 2022: Larceny/Theft: At 1050 hrs. patrols responded to 1511 Springfield Ave (WAWA) were management reported that a black male wearing dark colored shorts, a dark colored shirt and a yellow high visibility vest entered the gas attendant booth and removed approximately $100.00 from the register.
September 8, 2022: Larceny Theft/Purse Snatch: A 43 yr. old Springfield Resident walked into Police Headquarters to report a past tense purse snatch that occurred on August 31, 2022 at 1330 hours. She reports that she stopped at corner of Lexington Ave and Burnett Ave when an unknown black male snatched her purse and continued running away. No injuries reported in incident and no words exchanged.
September 8, 2022: Motor Vehicle Theft: At 0500 hrs. a vehicle left unsecured/unlocked was stolen from the parking lot of Wawa. Vehicle was later recovered in Newark.
September 7,2022: Theft from Auto: Walk in Citizen Report from a resident who reported that her unsecured/unlocked vehicle was entered and her wallet was removed from vehicle while parked at 1881 Springfield Avenue.
September 7, 2022: Theft from Auto: During the overnight hours a resident of Elmwood Avenue had their unlocked/unsecured vehicle entered. A Satchel and Bible were reportedly stolen.
September 06, 2022: Larceny Theft/Shoplifting: At 1917 hours Wawa reported that a black male approximately five foot in height entered the store and placed multiple bags of candy inside a large duffle bag and exited the store without making proper payment.
September 04, 2022: Burglary: At approximately 12:19 pm, an unknown person entered a home on Oberlin Terr through an unlocked/unsecured front window. Once inside approximately $40.00 was removed from the home. Homeowners were not home at time of incident.
September 03, 2022: Theft from Auto: A resident of Hilton Ave had his unsecured/unlocked vehicle rummaged through during the overnight hours. A black wallet and $10.00 were reported stolen from the vehicle.
On Sunday 8/21/22 at approximately 9:15pm, Patrols responded to the area of 88 Tiffany Pl on a report of an armed robbery. Upon arrival Officers they made contact with a female (22 years old) Maplewood resident who reported that she was the victim of an armed robbery.
The victim reports she was sitting in her vehicle facing east on Tiffany Place on the phone when a dark model SUV approached her from behind. The vehicle pulled up next to her and a rear seat passenger exited the vehicle and approached her window. The suspect then pointed a firearm at her and demanded her to hand over all of her valuables or she would be shot. The victim replied that she only had a cell phone, which she handed over to the suspect. The suspect then demanded the victim to provide the passcode for the phone or she would be shot. Once the passcode was confirmed the actor re-entered the vehicle, which proceeded to turn left on Franklin Terr and was out of sight of the victim. The victim reports that the vehicle was occupied by at least 3 other people. The victim reported that she was not injured during the robbery.
Maplewood PD Dispatch advised surrounding agencies of the robbery via SPEN. It should be noted that Irvington PD reported that there was an attempted carjacking in their jurisdiction with a vehicle matching our description.
Contact was made with the victim's cellular phone provider (T-Mobile) with negative findings for an updated location.
Detectives were notified and responded to investigate. Anyone with information or video of the suspects should contact our Detective Bureau at 973-762-1234 or DLt. Palmerezzi at MPALMEREZZI@MAPLEWOODNJ.GOV
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On August 11, 2022, at approximately 4:30 am, the Maplewood Police received a 911 call reporting a robbery (carjacking) that occurred in the Wawa Parking lot located at 1511 Springfield Avenue. A male victim (72 yoa) reports upon exiting the WAWA, walking over to his vehicle, he was approached by an unknown male who demanded the victim hand over his keys. The unknown male then shoves the victim and once again demands the victims’ keys. The suspect then reaches into the victim’s pocket and removes the keys. The suspect then enters the vehicle and is last observed driving eastbound on Springfield Avenue into Irvington.
The suspect description is as follows: a black male between 16 - 19 years old, not wearing a shirt, blue jeans, and no facial hair.
The victim refused medical attention and was not injured. The victim reported no weapons were shown. MPD Detectives were able to track the vehicle on victims’ phone and recover the vehicle in Newark parked and unoccupied in the area of 138 Hunterdon Street. The vehicle was towed to Police Hqts to be processed for evidence. The investigation is on going at this time.
Anyone with information or video of the suspects should contact our Detective Bureau at 973-762-1234 or DLt. Palmerezzi at MPALMEREZZI@MAPLEWOODNJ.GOV
July 1, 2022; Theft from Auto; At approximately 8 am a contractor’s vehicle parked on Courter Ave was entered and a wallet, phone and other items were stolen. A second vehicle at the same location was also entered and cash and checks were stolen from it.
July 2, 2022; Motor Vehicle Theft; During the overnight hours a vehicle left unsecured with the keys in it was stolen from the driveway of a home on Burnett Ave.
July 3, 2022; Theft from Auto; At approximately midnight an unsecured vehicle parked on the 600 block of Prospect St was entered. Charging cords and cash were stolen from the vehicle.
July 3, 2022; Malicious Damage; At 8:45 pm officers responded to the Maplewood Diner on a report that a man had broken the glass door. Upon their arrival, the located the male, Richard Santoro, of East Orange and he was arrested and charged with Malicious Damage.
July 4, 2022; Burglary; Between 12 and 4 pm a home on Yale St was entered through an unsecured window. Multiple items, including a wallet and electronics were stolen from the home.
July 5, 2022; Burglary; At 1140 am, a resident of Oakview Ave returned home to find three males fleeing from her home with her purse. Her husband was able to confront one of the males and get his belongings back. The males then fled in a vehicle that was determined to have been stolen prior. This vehicle was recovered in Irvington.
July 6, 2022; Bicycle Thefts; Between 4:30 and 6:30 pm two bicycles were stolen from the rear yard of a home on Rutgers St.
July 8, 2022; Bicycle Theft; Between 2:15 and 8 pm, a bicycle was stolen from the Maplewood Pool.
July 8, 2022; package Theft; At 5:30pm four males are observed on video taking a package from a home on Rutgers St.
July 10, 2022; Motor Vehicle Theft; At approximately 1:30 am, a vehicle left unlocked and running at 7-11 on Irvington Ave was stolen.
On Tuesday July 12, 2022 at approx. 0613 hrs, Maplewood PD patrols were dispatched to 1511 Springfield Avenue (Wawa Convenience Store) on the report of an armed robbery of a gas station attendant.
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The attendant stated that he was approached by an unknown male described as: Black male, 16-20 years of age, between 5’10 – 6’00 in height, 160 – 170 lbs, wearing a dark colored Adidas sweatshirt w/three white stripes on both sleeves, fatigue style cargo shorts, grey sneakers with a black mask and black sunglasses on, armed with a small black handgun.
The unknown male proceeded to demand money from the attendant and was handed approx. $40.00. The unknown male continued to demand more money from the attendant but was advised that he was unable to get any money out of the safe. At that point, the unknown male turned and ran out of the Wawa parking lot heading southbound onto Jacoby Street then possibly entered a small grey SUV which was observed driving off of Lee Court then east bound onto 44th Street and ultimately into Irvington Township.
Fortunately, the gas station attendant reported no injuries and the Maplewood Police Department Detective Bureau is investigating the incident at this time.
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July 15, 2022; At 8:15 pm. An unsecured vehicle with keys in it was stolen from Jennifer Lane.
July 16, 2022; During the daytime hours an unsecured work vehicle was entered on Porter Rd and a wallet and cash were stolen from the vehicle.
July 17, 2022; Bicycle Theft; Officer’s responded to a report of a bicycle theft from an unsecured garage.
July 18, 2022; Theft from Vehicle; At 515 am, an unsecured vehicle parked at Wawa was entered and a phone stolen.
July 18, 2022; Theft; At 2 pm a male was observed taking a scooter from an unsecured garage on Briarcliff Court.
July 19, 2022; Theft from Vehicle; During the overnight hours an unsecured vehicle parked on Menzel Ave was entered and a purse taken.
July 21, 2022; Motor vehicle Theft; At 12:45 am a vehicle left running at 7-11 on Irvington Ave was stolen with a dog in it. It was later recovered along with the dog in Newark.
In addition to the above incidents, there were five shoplifting incidents.
On 5/25/22 at approximately 1058 hrs. we received at 911 call reporting a possible robbery in the area of Springfield Avenue near the intersection of Princeton Street. Upon arrival officers spoke with victim, a 70-year-old female, who advised that her purse was snatched as she was waiting on the southside of Springfield Avenue at the bus stop.
The suspect is described as a heavy-set black male wearing black pants, and short hair (NFD). The suspect exited a 4-door dark colored vehicle, which was parked nearby, he pushed the victim to the ground and took her purse. The suspect ran back towards the vehicle and drove away east bound on Springfield Avenue.
The proceeds of the purse and its contents included $88.00 dollars in cash. The victim did not sustain any injuries, and she refused any medical attention. She was safely escorted back to her residence, in Irvington, by Maplewood patrol officers. A nearby witness believed the vehicle to be a dark grey Honda Civic. Detectives are canvassing the area and the investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information please contact the Maplewood Police Department, at 973 762-3400.
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May 18, 2022, Motor Vehicle Theft; At approximately 8 pm, a vehicle left running and unsecured at the Wawa was stolen.
May 17, 2022, Trespassing; Officials at Columbia High School reported a past tense trespassing incident where a previously expelled student was observed at the school.
May 17, 2022, Trespassing; At approximately 8:20 pm a resident of Hillcrest Rd observed a female in their yard that they believed was trying to take an unsecured bicycle. They confronted the female and the female left the property prior to police arrival.
May 17, 2022, Package Theft; Between 2 and 8 pm a package was stolen from the front of a Schaefer Rd residence.
May 16, 2022, Vehicle Rummage; A resident of Oakland Rd reported that at approximately 1230 pm an individual went through their unsecured vehicle, but nothing was taken.
May 16, 2022, Burglary; At approximately 3:15 am officers responded to a home on Plymouth Ave on a reported burglary. The resident was awoken by their dog and observed items missing as well as muddy foot prints on the first floor of their home. The residence was not secured at the time.
May 15, 2022, Burglary; Between 5/13 and 5/15 entry was forced to the rear door of a home on the 100 block of Parker Ave. Jewelry was reported stolen from the home.
May 14, 2022, Bicycle Theft; A resident of Springfield Ave reported that her son’s bicycle was stolen from outside of her apartment door at approximately 2 pm. The bicycle was left in the hallway of the apartment building.
May 13, 2022, Theft from Vehicle; During the overnight hours an unsecured vehicle in the driveway of a Schaefer Rd home was entered. Proceeds were a pair of glasses and cash.
May 12, 2022, Malicious Damage; At 7:45 pm a resident reported that there was damage to a traffic control box at Oakview Ave and Valley St. Officers responded and documented the damage.
May 12, 2022, Found Property; At approximately 7am, a caller reported observing what appeared to be a handgun in the street at the intersection of Valley St and Lincoln Pl. Officers responded and recovered the firearm which was unloaded and appeared to possibly been thrown from a vehicle.
May 11, 2022, Burglary; At approximately 2:15 am officers responded to the rear of a business on Irvington Ave for a noise complaint. They located a male who appeared to be taking out garbage, but then fled from officers. Damage was observed to the rear door as well as the cash register of the business. The individual has been identified and charges are pending.
May 9, 2022, Robbery; While in the cafeteria of CHS, a female student was approached by a 10th grade male that demanded money from her. While she was seated, the male attempted to reach into her pockets and pull her to the ground at the same time attempting to get money from her. She was not injured and no money was taken. The same 10th grade student also threatened another student and stole a cell phone during the same day. He was later charged and arrested by the Detective Bureau.
May 5, 2022, malicious Damage; Officers responded to the Baker Street Library on a report of a damaged window. Officers checked the building, but no one was located on scene. Damage to the window was documented.
May 5, 2022, Theft; At approximately 9:45 am, a business on the 1900 block of Springfield Ave reported someone had just stolen their outgoing mail. Officers responded, but were unable to locate the suspect.
On 04/29/22, at approximately 3:30 AM, an armed robbery was committed at the QuickChek on Springfield Ave. Two males wearing hooded sweatshirts and masks entered the store. One of the males then displayed a handgun and demanded that the clerk empty the cash register. After the males were given the cash, they fled the store and entered a dark colored SUV which fled South on Boyden Ave. No one was injured during the incident. The robbery is currently under investigation by the Maplewood Police Detective Bureau.
April 13, 2022, Theft from Vehicle; During the daytime hours an unsecured construction vehicle parked on Oakview Ave was entered and items were taken.
April 13, 2022, Trespassing; At approximately 9:45 pm a male was observed entering a vehicle on Rutgers St. Responding officers located the juvenile male in took him into custody.
April 12, 2022, Trespassing; At 7:15 pm a male, Eddie Poole of Irvington, known to officers was observed inside the Wawa store where he was previously given notice he was not allowed. He was charged for Defiant Trespass on a summons.
April 11, 2022, Motor Vehicle Theft; During the overnight hours an unsecured vehicle parked on Woodland Rd with the keys in it was stolen.
April 11, 2022, Robbery; Just after midnight, a male requested a carton of cigarettes in Quick Chek. When payment was requested, he claimed to have a gun and threatened the clerk before leaving the store with the cigarettes.
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On 4/11/2022 at 0010 hours, dispatch received an emergency 9-1-1 call from Quick Check (1545 Springfield Ave) reporting they had just been robbed.
Patrols responded on scene and made contact with the victim/employee who reported an unknown male entered the store and appeared to wait until all other customers made their purchases and exited. The suspect then approached the counter and asked for a carton of Newport cigarettes. The victim reported he placed 10 packages of cigarettes on the counter and asked the suspect if he would be paying with cash or credit. The suspect then signaled toward his sweatshirt and replied “I have a gun. Give me the cigarettes.” The victim then placed the cigarettes, valued at approximately $100.00, in a brown paper bag and handed them to the male. While exiting the store with the proceeds, the suspect stated “If you call the cops, I’ll come back and shoot you.”
The victim described the suspect as a male approximately 40 years of age, 5’5” in height, with a scruff of facial hair, wearing black pants and a black hooded sweatshirt, a light colored face mask with the hood over his head.
The victim was unable to provide any further direction of flight and reported he did not have access to the store’s surveillance cameras. An in-house review of Maplewood PD’s surveillance cameras, shows a suspect matching the provided description exiting the store running eastbound on Springfield Ave at 0003 hours and then continuing southbound through the rear parking lot of 1521 Springfield Ave. (Bank of America) toward Jacoby St. Officers conducted a canvass of the area with negative results for anyone matching the description. It is unknown at this time if a vehicle was involved in the incident.
MFD was dispatched to the scene to evaluate the victim due to being visibly distraught over the incident. The victim later refused further medical attention.
Detectives are actively investigating the incident.
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April 10, 2022, Malicious Damage; At approximately 5 pm a home on Ball Terr had it’s window smashed with a rock.
April 7, 2022, Theft from Auto; During the overnight hours a vehicle parked in the Burger King lot was entered and a briefcase and fanny pack were stolen
April 6, 2022; Theft of Auto Parts; During the overnight hours the Catalytic converter was removed from a vehicle parked in a parking lot on Rutgers St.
April 3, 2022; Motor Vehicle Theft; At approximately 12:30 am a vehicle left running at Wawa was stolen.
April 2, 2022; Motor Vehicle Theft; During the overnight hour a vehicle parked on Oakview Ave was stolen. The owner was still in possession of the keys.
The Maplewood Police Department works hard to protect the residents and their property. We are asking that you assist us in this effort by making sure all vehicles and homes are properly secured at all times. All charges are merely accusations. Each suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Thank You
March 30, 2022; Theft of Auto Parts; During the overnight hours the Catalytic converter was removed from a vehicle parked in the driveway of a Prospect St home.
March 30, 2022; Motor Vehicle Theft; Between 11am and 1 pm, a vehicle parked on Coolidge Rd was stolen. The vehicle is believed to have had a key fob in it and was left unsecured.
March 30, 2022; Package Theft; Between 3:30 and 4 pm two packages were stolen from in front of a Plymouth Ave.
March 30, 2022; Motor vehicle Theft; During the overnight hours a vehicle was stolen from the driveway of Yale St residence.
March 28, 2022; Thefts from Commercial Vehicle; Between 2:30 and 3:30 pm a Landscaping vehicle parked unsecured on Oakland Rd and a construction vehicle parked on Fernwood Rd were entered and wallets, a phone, tools and two backpacks were stolen.
March 26, 2022; Theft from Vehicle; Between 3 and 11 am a vehicle parked unsecured on Colonial Terr was entered and cash was removed.
March 25, 2022; Theft from Auto; During the overnight hours an unsecured vehicle was entered on Collinwood Rd and a laptop was stolen.
March 25, 2022; Burglary; During the daytime hours a home on Mountain Ave sustained damage to it’s rear door. At the time of the report, nothing was observed to be missing.
March 24, 2022; Burglary; During the daytime hours an apartment on Essex Ave was forcibly entered. Cash and documents were reportedly stolen.
March 23, 2022; Motor Vehicle Theft; At approximately 5 pm a vehicle left running on Springfield Ave near Prospect St was stolen while the driver entered a restaurant to pickup an order.
March 22, 2022; Graffiti; During an inspection of the Skate House in Memorial park, Graffiti was discovered by an officer.
March 17, 2022, Motor Vehicle Theft; A vehicle left running at the Quick Chek was stolen at approximately 2:35 am.
March 16, 2022, Theft from Auto; During the previous few day, an unsecured vehicle parked on Sommer Ave was entered and a set of keys were stolen.
March 16, 2022, Robbery; At approximately 0100 am, a male walking on Boyden Ave in the area of Brown St when he was assaulted by two males that demanded his belongings. He was able to get away from the males and later called police, but was injured in the altercation.
March 16th, 2022; At approximately 1am on this date, an 18 year old resident was the victim of a strong-armed robbery (no weapons involved) in the area of 331 Boyden Ave.
The victim, who resides in the area reports he went out for a jog. While jogging on Boyden Ave, the victim observed 2 individuals ahead walking towards him. As he approached them, he attempted to go around them. One of them jumped towards him and punched him in the face causing him to fall. At that time the suspects assaulted the victim while making demands for his belongings. The victim was able to get up and run away from them. The suspects did not get any of the victims belongings. The victim did not see which way the suspects fled. The victim was transported to the hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries, however the injuries sustained were serious enough for the victim to be admitted for further treatment.
The suspects are described as follows: 2 black males dressed in dark clothing, both appeared to be in their early 20’s, one was tall and thin wearing a mask. The other was described as 5’8, stocky with a beard and not wearing a mask.
Detectives have obtained a statement from the victim and are investigating the incident. Detectives have not determined if a vehicle is involved at this point. Detectives will be canvassing the area for witnesses and video. What we have learned so far is that these suspects were surveilling the area on foot for a while prior to this incident. The public is encouraged to call the police when they observe suspicious activity. Any person who wishes to provide information can call DLt. Palmerezzi at 973-761-7913 or email MPALMEREZZI@TWP.MAPLEWOOD.NJ.US
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March 15, 2022, Motor Vehicle Theft; At approximately 6 pm, a vehicle left running at Wawa was stolen.
March 13, 2022, Package Theft; At approximately 1:30 pm a package was stolen from the front of a residence on Newark Way.
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On March 12, 2022; at approximately 3:45pm, Dispatch received multiple calls of gunshots in the area of 88 Tiffany Pl. As a result, Officers responded to the area and located a female standing near a Honda Accord which had heavy front end damage. It was obviously involved in an accident with another vehicle and no longer operational.
During the check of the area, officers located a shell casing on Tiffany Pl and immediately shut down the roadway while they continued to search the area. A thorough search of the area produced four suspicious males standing on the corner of Elmwood Avenue & Elmwood Ter. At that point, officers converged on the area and detained the males. Officers immediately began speaking with the males, at which point one of the males, advised officers that the other three males stopped were in the rear of his residence and upon them noticing him, they fled towards Elmwood Terr. He further advised officers that he followed them to determine what was happening.
The officers noticed that three males were injured and determined it was from gunshots wounds. Immediately thereafter, emergency medical services responded to the scene and transported the males to Rutgers University hospital along with MPD Officers. The injuries were determined to be non-life threatening.
The MPD Detective Bureau was notified and responded to the scene to begin the investigation into this incident. During the investigation, it was revealed that these three males were seen fleeing from Honda Accord after the shooting. Officers were able to confirm that the Honda Accord was traveling east on Tiffany pl when it was involved in an accident with a dark colored BMW SUV. They observed a black male exit the passenger seat of the dark colored BMW and begin firing shots into the Honda. It must be noted that officers attempted to ascertain further, but the shooting victims did not wish to discuss this incident with officers. However, one of the males agreed to speak with officers, but only provided limited information. It should also be noted that the driver of the Honda stated that there was a fifth person inside of the car at the time of the shooting, but did not know the female’s name nor where she lived. Officers were unable to locate any additional people involved in this incident during their canvass of the area. Officers were assisted by the Essex County Sheriff Department who responded to the area of 88 Tiffany with a K9 dog trained to search for weapons in the area with negative results.
Detectives processed the crime scene and recovered several 9mm shell casings. No weapon has been recovered at this time. Detectives will continue to investigate the shooting incident even though the victims have failed to provide information related to the investigation. We have determined there in no nexus to Maplewood or the immediate area. The occupants are not from the area and did not know where they were at the time of the accident and subsequent shooting. It is believed that they were being followed for some time prior to the shooting incident. It is unknown if the parties know each other. Detectives will continue canvassing the area for witnesses and video. We ask for cooperation from the public to provide whatever information or assistance they can provide. There is no reason to believe any further danger exists in regard to this incident. There will be an increased Police presence in the area.
Please contact DLt. Palmerezzi at 973-761-7913 or email mpalmerezzi@twp.maplewood.nj.us to provide information or video.
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March 11, 2022, Motor vehicle Theft; At approximately 8 pm, a vehicle left running at Wawa was stolen.
March 11, 2022, Package Theft; At approximately 2 pm a package was stolen from the front of a home on Burroughs Way.
March 10, 2022, Motor Vehicle Theft; Between 10pm and 4 am on 3/11, a vehicle was stolen from the driveway of a home on Mountain View Terr.
March 6, 2022, Armed Robbery; At approximately midnight a female reported being the victim of a robbery in the area Chancellor Ave. She reported that a dark vehicle pulled up and a male exited and demanded her belongings at gun point. The male took her belongings and fled in the vehicle. The female was not injured. The Maplewood Police Department works hard to protect the residents and their property. We are asking that you assist us in this effort by making sure all vehicles and homes are properly secured at all times. All charges are merely accusations. Each suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Saturday March 5th, 2022 at approximately 1145 pm, Central dispatch was contacted by Irvington Police reporting they had several units out at 1016 Chancellor Ave investigating a robbery that occurred in Maplewood. Patrols responded to the scene and determined an armed robbery occurred in our jurisdiction in front of 1013 Chancellor Ave. The female victim, (30 YOA/Orange resident) reports she was walking to her parked vehicle in front of 1013 Chancellor Ave after leaving the 43rd St Café in Irvington at approximately 1145pm. When the victim was about 15 feet from her vehicle, an unknown actor (black/male/25-30 yoa 5’6/ not wearing a mask) called out to her from behind and said “don’t walk no further and give me everything you got”. At this time, Williams turned around and observed the aforementioned actor brandishing a black handgun. The victim then handed over her I-Phone 12 and wallet containing cash, personal identification, credit cards, other personal items. The actor then entered a waiting black suv on the passenger side which then fled north and then west onto 44th St. The vehicle was occupied 2 or more times with a male and female (positioning unknown). The victim did not sustain any injuries. MPD Dispatcher’s then broadcasted a SPEN alert to all surrounding towns with the limited info. The victim was transported to Police Hqts to provide Detectives a statement. It should be noted the suspect vehicle involved in our incident matches the description to several other robberies that occurred in the county during this time frame.
MPD Detectives are currently working with Newark Police Detectives to develop leads in this incident. There is no further information known at this time about the suspects involved or the vehicle. This is an active investigation. It is too soon to link this incident with the 3 MPD robbery incidents that has occurred on 1/22/22. There have been no charges issued or arrests made in these incidents at this time. Any person with information related to these incidents can call DLt. Palmerezzi at 973-761-7913 or MPALMEREZZI@TWP.MAPLEWOOD.NJ.US.
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March 3, 2022, Motor Vehicle Theft; At approximately 7 pm a vehicle left running with the keys in it was stolen from a business on Rutgers St.
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March 3, 2022, Motor Vehicle Theft; At approximately 1 pm a vehicle left running parked on Jacoby St was stolen.
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March 2, 2022, Motor Vehicle Theft, A vehicle parked with the keys in in on Claremont Ave was stolen at approximately 3:45 am.
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March 2, 2022,q5 Motor Vehicle Theft; An unsecured vehicle with the keys in it was stolen from Wyoming Ave sometime during the overnight hours.
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March 2, 2022, Motor Vehicle Theft, A vehicle left running without the key at Wawa was stolen at approximately 1210 am.
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March 1, 2022, Stolen Motor Vehicle; Between 2 and 3 am a vehicle was stolen from Franklin Ave. It was believed to have the keys in it.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ March 1, 2022, Receiving Stolen Property; At approximately 3:45 am Officer located a male, Rakim Phelps in possession of a stolen van at the Wawa. The 31 year old Newark resident was placed under arrest and charged with receiving stolen property and Obstruction.
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March 1, 2022, Receiving Stolen Property; At approximately 11 am a witness observed the vehicle stolen from Franklin Ave earlier in the day driving on Springfield Ave. A male later identified as Chigemezu Nwigwe of Newark was observed parking the vehicle and entering a restaurant. Officers’ were able to locate him and take him into custody. He was charged with receiving stolen property.
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There was also 3 shoplifting incident during this time frame.
The Maplewood Police Department works hard to protect the residents and their property. We are asking that you assist us in this effort by making sure all vehicles and homes are properly secured at all times. All charges are merely accusations. Each suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Thank You
February 28, 2022, , Mal Damage; During the overnight hours several vehicles parked at a business on Rutgers St sustained damage to their windshields.
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February 25, 2022, Theft from Vehicle; During the overnight hours an unsecured vehicle parked on Harvard Ave was entered and a small amount of money was stolen.
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February 25, 2022, Package Theft; At approximately 7 am a male in a traffic vest removed a package from the front of a residence on Orchard Rd.
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February 24, 2022, Motor Vehicle Theft; At approximately 11 am a vehicle left running on Lexington Ave was stolen.
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February 23, 2022, Motor Vehicle Theft, At approximately 7:30 am, a vehicle left running at 7-11 on Springfield Ave was stolen.
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February 23, 2022, Theft from Auto, During the overnight hours a vehicle on Oakview Ave was entered and a small amount of cash was stolen.
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February 22, 2022, Graffiti, A traffic light box at the intersection of Valley St and S. Pierson Rd was vandalized with paint. February 22, 2022, Mal Damage, During the weekend several vehicles parked at a business on Rutgers St sustained damage to their windshields.
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February 22, 2022, Motor Vehicle Theft, At approximately 9 pm, a vehicle left running and unsecured at Quick Chek was stolen.
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February 21, 2022, Motor Vehicle Theft, At 6:40 pm a vehicle left running at 7-11 on Springfield Ave was stolen.
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February 20, 2022, Motor Vehicle Theft, At approximately 7 am a vehicle left running and unsecured at Quick Chek was stolen.
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On Feb 16, 2022, at approximately 9:55 am, a good Samaritan called Maplewood Police Headquarters reporting that there was a male possibly shot and was currently outside near the intersection of Hughes St and Jacoby St. Upon officers’ arrival, Patrols located the victim in that area. He was found to have a laceration, but did not have a gunshot injury or any other life-threatening injuries. The on-scene investigation revealed that the victim was involved in an altercation with another male inside of an apartment at 159 Jacoby Street. During the altercation a .380 caliber handgun was fired in the apartment, however no one was struck. The handgun has not been recovered at this time. The incident was determined to be domestic in nature. The involved parties are known to each other and no other persons or the public were at risk. Maplewood Police Detectives responded to investigate and process the crime scene. As a result of the investigation, a warrant was issued for the arrest of Cranford Butler (67yoa) of Irvington, NJ. Maplewood Police Officers are working collaboratively with the Essex County Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team and the Irvington Police who have executed an Arrest Warrant at Butlers home. Detectives are working relentlessly to find and arrest Mr. Butler.
UPDATE: On 2/24/2022 Mr. Butler responded to Maplewood PD to turn himself in. Mr. Butler has been processed and transported to Essex County Correctional Facility. (See below comments for initial statement.)
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February 5, 2022; Burglary; Between 2 and 8 pm a home on Berkley St was entered and money was stolen from a drawer.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- February 3, 2022; Motor Vehicle Theft; At 5:15 am a vehicle warming up in the driveway of a Collinwood Rd home was stolen.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- February 3, 2022; Vehicle Rummage; At 6:45 a male was observed inside an unsecured vehicle on Winthrop Pl.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- February 2, 2022; Motor vehicle Theft; At approx.. 9:15 pm a vehicle left running on Franklin Ave was entered and stolen.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- February 1, 2022; Attempted MV Theft; At approximately 2:30 pm an individual was driving out of Walgreens Parking lot when two juveniles began yelling to her that her tire was flat. When she exited the vehicle to check on the tire, one of the juveniles entered her vehicle and attempted to steal it. He was unsuccessful, located and taken into custody after fleeing on foot.
The Maplewood Police Department works hard to protect the residents and their property. We are asking that you assist us in this effort by making sure all vehicles and homes are properly secured at all times. All charges are merely accusations. Each suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Thank You
January 22,2022; The Maplewood Police Department is investigating 3 armed robberies that occurred this day. All three victims were women who were walking alone at the time. In all three incidents the suspect was wearing a mask covering their face.
The first incident happened at 1010 am in the area of 124 Jacoby Street. The 64 year old female victim and township resident was walking alone when a masked individual approached from behind, brandishing a handgun. The victim was knocked to the ground and assaulted by striking her in the face. The suspect stole her purse then jumped into a dark colored vehicle that was waiting nearby. The victim was transported to University Hospital for treatment.
The second incident occurred at approximately 1100 am this morning, in the area of 95 Franklin Terrace. The 44 year old female victim and Irvington resident was walking alone when approached by a dark colored vehicle. A masked individual exited the passenger side, brandishing a handgun and demanded her purse. After a brief struggle for the purse, the suspect got control of the purse, entered the vehicle and fled the area. The victim of this incident did not request medical attention at the time of the incident.
The third incident occurred at approximately 1pm this afternoon in the area of 616 Irvington Ave. The 37 year old female victim, and Newark resident, was walking alone when approached by a dark colored vehicle. A masked individual exited the passenger side, brandishing a handgun and demanded her purse. The victim relinquished her purse without resistance and she was unharmed. The suspect got back into the vehicle and fled the area.
In all incidents, the suspect vehicle flees to the borders and returns back to the area.
The Department has additional resources assigned to assist with the investigation and to provide additional Police presence in the area. Detectives have identified the suspect vehicle involved in these incidents from township license plate readers. The vehicle, a dark grey Infinity was stolen out of Newark City early this morning running with the key in it. Detectives are working in collaboration with neighboring Police agencies to locate the vehicle. All indications are that this vehicle and suspects are involved with all three of the incidents that occurred.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------January 31, 2022; Motor Vehicle Theft; At approx. 4 pm a vehicle left running at Wawa was stolen.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- January 28, 2022; Vehicle Rummage; At 11:30 pm an individual was observed going through an unsecured vehicle on Mountain Ave.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- January 26, 2022; Vehicle Rummage, During overnight hours an unsecured vehicle parked in a commercial parking lot on W Parker was rummaged through. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
January 23, 2022; Motor Vehicle Theft; A vehicle left running at 12:45am on Brown St was stolen.
The Maplewood Police Department works hard to protect the residents and their property. We are asking that you assist us in this effort by making sure all vehicles and homes are properly secured at all times. All charges are merely accusations. Each suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Thank You
June 3rd, 2020
To Our Maplewood Community,
As Chief of the Maplewood Police, I would like to address the horrific murder of George Floyd at the hand of Police Officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Firstly, I would like to offer my deepest condolences to the entire Floyd family for their tragic loss. I am personally outraged at this senseless loss of life. This man died as result of an accusation that he passed a counterfeit $20.00 bill. I am having trouble grasping the reality of this situation. If $20.00 is the value of a human life, then nobody is safe. George Floyd was treated without regard for humanity. There are no excuses for what happened to Mr. Floyd. He was handcuffed, held down by multiple officers, one of which had their knee on Mr. Floyd’s neck and made him suffer as he gasped for air and pleaded for help. These officers must be held responsible for their actions including those who just stood by and did not help Mr. Floyd.
In full transparency, I must acknowledge this Police Department has dealt with complaints of excessive force and misconduct in the past. I recognized that this history would change the relationship between Police and the community for many years to come. As the new Police Chief, I assembled a team of qualified diverse officers to help change the culture in the Police Department. There was no room for excuses or denial. We have learned a great many things along the way and that the officers would not accept change easily. Rebuilding trust and relationships in the community could not be set on a timetable and would have to be earned.
The Department established goals and objectives as part of this change in culture.
Why do these types of tragedies continue to happen?
Simply, it is a lack of vision, accountability and follow up. Change in department policy must be real and not just politics. And it must be accompanied with a comprehensive plan.
Law Enforcement Executives can expect that there will be limited or no help from outside agencies.
First there must be acknowledgement that change is necessary.
The department must commit to change as we stand shoulder and shoulder with our community.
The Law Enforcement Executive should prepare a plan to the Appropriate Authority for review.
A plan with goals, objectives, timelines, accountability requirements and ways to measure the effectiveness of not only the plan but its implementation. The plan must be publicly available for the entire community to read. It is crucial for the Law Enforcement Executive and the entire Command Staff to know all aspects of the plan. They will have to deliver a unified message to all personnel on how they can take personal ownership in their part of the plan. The plan must include reporting from the Law Enforcement Executive to be effective. There must be a performance evaluation mechanism for the Law Enforcement Executive as well.
To enact change and provide true justice, employment laws need to be changed or strengthened to make it easier to terminate officers before a tragedy occurs.
The public is outraged and rightfully so because they don’t trust or believe that anything will change.
Take responsibility!
Hold people accountable! Be accountable!
Don’t defend or make excuses for bad officers!
Don’t ignore what is right in front of you!
Don’t let this happen in your community!
Take a stand for what is best for our community!
Respectfully,
Chief DeVaul
With the holidays approaching, Maplewood PD would like to remind residents of some tips to help keep you and your valuables safe. Please click below to view our flyer.
Always dial 9-1-1 for emergencies.