On Tuesday morning, officers responded to the area of Highland Avenue after receiving information that a stolen 2019 Mercedes Benz from Newark was tracking in the area. Officers responded and located the parked vehicle. The engine was running and unoccupied.
While on the scene, Newark Police contacted Montclair Police and reported that a 2023 Audi SQ8 was seen in Newark traveling at a high rate of speed. The vehicle registration came back to a Highland Avenue address in Montclair. When officers arrived at the location they discovered a burglary took place. They contacted the homeowner, who was out of the country. When viewing surveillance, the resident confirmed a burglary did take place and the individuals also stole his vehicle. The surveillance video shows at approximately 4:59 a.m., two young males walked to the rear of the property and entered through a window. Both males wore gloves and one carried a crowbar. It appears the individual utilized the crowbar to enter the home. Once inside, they located the keys to the Audi and fled with the car, leaving the stolen Mercedes behind.
The Montclair Police Department can’t say for certain whether or not the two individuals who broke into the home and stole the Audi also stole the Mercedes.
The Montclair Police Department reports the following additional activity in their weekly blotter:
Motor Vehicle Crime
April 2, 2024 (Summit Avenue): A complainant reported that two briefcases were stolen from his vehicle. The briefcases reportedly contained an iPad, a Macbook, and work documents. There is no information on the individual who stole the items at this time.
April 6, 2024 (Upper Montclair Plaza): An individual reported his wallet was stolen from his vehicle while he was performing work nearby. He began receiving alerts from his bank advising him of suspicious activity. This caused him to check for his wallet which he discovered missing. The wallet also reportedly contained $3000 in cash.
Shoplifting
April 3, 2024 (Valley Road): An asset protection manager from Kings Supermarket reported two males entered the store and removed $1300 worth of steak, ribs and lamb. The males fled without making payment. The first male is described as approximately 5 feet 4 inches in height, 190 pounds. He has short dark hair, glasses, wearing a white windbreaker style hoodie, black jeans, and white sneakers. The other male was approximately 5 feet 11 inches to 6 feet in height and 185 pounds. He was wearing a black baseball cap, a white jacket with black accents, black jeans, and white sneakers.
April 6, 2024 (Valley Road): Employees at Barbara Eclectic reported a shoplifting. They stated that a female in her sixties, with short brown hair, 5 feet tall, 180 pounds entered the store, and concealed approximately $300 in clothing in a shopping bag. She left the store without making payment and fled in an orange or red SUV.
Arrest
April 3, 2024 (Bloomfield Avenue): A 43-year-old male from Newark is facing charges of two counts of disorderly conduct, theft, criminal mischief, trespass, and throwing bodily fluids at an officer. Montclair Police Department arrested him after several stores and restaurants along Bloomfield Avenue reported this male was wreaking havoc in their businesses.