Police Blotter: Burglaries, Theft Among Reports

Westfield Police Department handled burglaries, identity theft and several arrests last week.

Jan 6

• Clarence Williams, 47, of Newark, was arrested at 12:29 p.m. during a traffic stop in the area of Central Avenue and Cacciola Place. Williams had a no bail Union County sheriff’s warrant and a criminal warrant issued by Elizabeth Municipal Court with bail set at $250.
• A business located at the 300 block of E. South Avenue reported being a victim of burglary. The suspect entered the business through a rear window and took property worth approximately $180. The Detective Bureau responded and processed the scene. 
• A resident at the 500 block of North Chestnut Street reported being the victim of identity theft. The victim stated that the perpetrator(s) opened numerous credit card accounts. The monetary amount taken is not yet known.

Jan. 7

• A resident of Linden reported  at 7:40 p.m. that someone stole $27 in cash from his wallet, which had been left unattended at the north side of the Westfield Train Station. The wallet was recovered by a third party with the cash missing.
• A resident on Sandy Hill Road reported that their home was burglarized  sometime between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. It appeared that the suspect gained entrance through a rear door, which had been pried open. The suspect(s) removed three gold chains, valued at $200 each, and a digital camera, also valued at $200.
• Another resident of Sandy Hill Road reported her home was burglarized sometime between 3:45 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. The suspect(s) apparently entered through an unsecured rear bedroom window and removed $80 in cash from a nightstand before leaving through a rear door.
• A resident of a Moss Avenue home, in close proximity to those on Sandy Hill Road, reported an attempted burglary at 9:30 p.m. A large fresh hand print was observed on the exterior of a rear sliding glass door.

Jan. 8

• Lenard Robinson, 39, of East Orange, was arrested at police headquarters for warrants out of Westfield, $96, East Orange, $137, and Newark, $350.  Robinson was released after posting bail for Westfield and obtaining ROR’s from East Orange and Newark.
• Michael Ruzek, 19, of Scotch Plains, responded to Westfield Police at 3:45 p.m. to satisfy an active traffic warrant issued by the Westfield Municipal Court, with bail set at $99.  He was processed and released after posting bail.

Jan. 9

• Nicholas Melchiorre, 33, of Cranford, was arrested for an outstanding $500 Monmouth warrant and a $185 North Wildwood warrant during a motor vehicle stop at 8:11 p.m.  Bail was posted with future court dates to be announced.

Jan. 10

• Ahmed W. Mostafa, 22, of Greensboro N.C., was arrested by officers who had responded to a single-car motor vehicle incident. Mostafa and another man sped past police on North Avenue in a stolen vehicle. In trying to allude the officers in pursuit, the 2009 Toyota Tacoma crashed into a pole on the 1100 block South Avenue.  After a brief foot chase, Mostafa was arrested and charged with receiving stole property, resisting arrest, and possession of marijuana.  Mostafa was transferred to Union County Jail in default of $250,000 bail.