On August 27, residents of a Melrose Place home reported that after returning from vacation, they discovered a surveillance camera missing from the home’s kitchen. After checking footage stored on the cloud, they discovered that at 5:31 a.m., a tall thin male, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, black sweatpants, black shoes, gloves and a mask, carrying a flashlight, entered the kitchen from an exterior door. Once inside, the individual wanders around the house, eventually leaving with two bottles of champagne, each valued at approximately $200.
On August 28, a team leader at Whole Foods Supermarket reported a shoplifting incident that occurred earlier. The employee, while reviewing surveillance, observed a woman leaving the store through the main entrance with a shopping cart full of products that were not paid for. The employee stated that the woman matches the description of a suspect that has been involved in at least four other shoplifting incidents at various Whole Foods locations. The suspect is believed to have shoplifted upwards of $5,517.13 from the “Whole Body” section of the store. The suspect recorded taking the 87 items from the “Whole Body” section may have also taken various other grocery items. The suspect entered the store through the main entrance at 9:52 a.m. and exited through that same entrance at 10:28 a.m., instead of leaving through designated exit point past the cashiers.
Whole Foods Asset Protection is currently investigating the incidents. The suspect was seen alone, but has been known to operate with a male accomplice. Police reports have been filed with three other police departments regarding these suspects: Parsippany, Middletown and Wayne. The female suspect is described as having blonde hair, medium height and build, usually wearing a denim jacket, white shirt, black pants, and black w/white Vans sneakers. She has been observed wearing the same clothing at multiple Whole Foods locations.
The following additional activity has been reported by Montclair Police in their weekly blotter:
Entered Vehicles
August 22-29: Unlocked vehicles were reported to have been entered on North Fullerton Avenue, Christopher Street, Waterbury Road, and Highland Avenue. In two incidents, work vans were entered and approximately $1000 in equipment was stolen.
Abandoned Dog
August 23 (Cloverhill Place): A resident in the area of Glenridge Avenue and Cloverhill Place reported observing a black vehicle (no further description) abandon a dog in the area. The dog was last seen wandering west on Glenridge Avenue. A responding officer located the canine, described as a brown and white pitbull terrier with a blue collar, near the eastbound side of the Lackawanna Plaza parking lot circling a set of donation bins. The dog did not have any identifying tags on it. The dog was turned over to Montclair Animal Control.
Motor Vehicle Crime
August 27 (Greenwood Avenue): A 2002 Dodge Pickup was reported stolen from the parking lot of Clairidge Motors. The vehicle had been dropped off for repairs at approximately 10:45 p.m. the previous night.
Theft
August 27 (Bloomfield Avenue): An employee of the Shell Station reported a blue Mitsubishi, possibly an Outlander, requested $20 worth of gas and then fled west on Bloomfield Avenue without making payment. The vehicle was occupied by three males and a female.
Arrest
August 27 (High Street): Officers were dispatched to the area of High Street on a report of a suspicious male walking up and down resident’s driveways. When the suspect observed the first responding officer, he fled on foot into Carey’s Woods. Shortly after, a second officer observed the same suspect who once again fled on foot. After a foot pursuit, a 45-year-old from Montclair was placed under arrest and charged with Criminal Trespass. He was found to have jewelry on him that has not yet been determined to be stolen.