Download 2011 Police Department Annual Report (2 MB PDF)

NOTABLE CRIME SCENE UNIT INVESTIGATIONSCENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT BURGLARIESDuring the fall of 2011, a string of burglaries occurred in the central business district.The Crime Scene Unit was dispatched to the area to process the various crime scenes.During the processing of the scene, the unit was able to develop a latent fingerprint. Whilea subject was developed in this case prior to the obtaining the latent fingerprint, thefingerprint was useful in the conviction of the subject.CONVENIENCE STORE BURGLARYIn the spring of 2011, a local convenience store was burglarized. During thecommission of the crime, one of the suspects left behind a pair of gloves. Through theefforts of Detectives from the Crime Scene Unit, DNA was collected and submitted to theState Police Lab for analysis. A suspect was developed based on the DNA hit.Subsequently, the subject was arrested for the crime.CAR THIEF APPREHENDED2011 was a year that saw a significant increase in motor vehicle thefts. One vehicle,in particular, was recovered by the Essex County Sheriff’s Department, and towed to theirimpound yard where a Detective of the Crime Scene Unit responded and processed thevehicle for evidence. That processing resulted in fingerprints being developed and asuspect identified.JAB NOTABLE INVESTIGATIONSMISSING PERSONS INVESTIGATIONIn February of 2011, after parents arrived at Montclair Police Headquarters andreported that their 17 year old daughter had been abducted, the Juvenile Aid Bureauinitiated an investigation. Text messages received by the mother indicated that theirdaughter was traveling by car, blindfolded, and unable to determine her location.The Juvenile Aid Bureau, in conjunction with the Detective Bureau, worked in concertwith the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office’s Special Victims Unit and the New Jersey StatePolice Child Abduction Team. The assistance of Verizon Wireless was also enlisted totrack the phone in order to ascertain the juvenile’s whereabouts.Ultimately, with the assistance of cellular phone tracking, the juvenile waslocated within Montclair, unhurt, and in good health. During a subsequent interview withJuvenile Aid Bureau Detectives, the juvenile admitted to “cutting school” and conjuring upthe elaborate hoax in order to spend the day with her boyfriend. The juvenile wassubsequently charged with False Public Alarms, in violation of N.J.S. 2C:33-3a.GANG RECRUITMENT ATTEMPTIn April of 2011, a 20 year old resident was approached by a group of four suspectsand requested to join their gang “Empire”. When the victim refused, he was assaulted bythe group. As a result of the ensuing Juvenile Aid Bureau investigation, all of the assailants,three juveniles and one adult, were arrested and charged with Solicitation/Recruitment toJoin a Criminal Street Gang. The three juveniles were remanded to the Essex CountyYouth Detention Center. The adult was held on bail.23