East Rutherford

On Dec. 4, at approximately 9:58 a.m., police responded to Gaby’s Haircutters, located at 112 Hackensack Street for a report of an assault. The complainant told police that a former employee, Laurie Messina, who had recently been fired, came into the salon to collect her last paycheck. The complainant said Messina went to the back of the salon and removed two customer record books and then pushed the complainant spat in her face. Messina was subsequently charged with simple assault and theft.

Burglary/Theft

East Rutherford

On Dec. 5, at approximately 7:41 a.m., a complainant reported the theft of a laptop computers from the Starbucks, located at 2 Meadowlands Plaza Drive.

On Dec. 4, police were summoned to Lowe’s Home Improvement, located at 150 Route 17 North, for the report of shoplifting. Upon arrival, store employees said they noticed a male fill up shopping basket with assorted knives, gloves, a flashlight and phone holder. The male later came to the front to fill out an application for employment and exited the store. The basket was found in the store with empty packages. Police used the information off two applications submitted that day and a photo of the man on surveillance to ascertain it was Rocco Palmieri of Nutley, who confessed to the crime upon being called to headquarters. In total, Palmieri stole approximately $408 in merchandise. He was charged with fourth-degree shoplifting.

On Dec. 1, at approximately 3:45 p.m., a complainant at BJ’s Wholesale Club, located at 300 Route 17 North reported that a dark-skinned male, approximately 300 pounds wearing a tan sweat suit had entered the store earlier and said he was an employee of National Vending. The male entered the break room, opened two Coca-Cola machines and took the cash. The male was apparently not from the authorized vending service.

On Dec. 1, at approximately 10:32 a.m., police responded to Auto Zone, located at 574 Paterson Ave., doe the report of a shoplifter that had fled the scene. The suspect, later identified as Jose Gomez, was seen by employees cutting open two boxes with a box cutter and removing the contents: an 11-piece Duralast wrench set valued at $49.99 and a autogamy valued at $129.99. The employees locked the door and Gomez dropped the goods before fleeing out a back door. Soon after, Carlstadt police notified East Rutherford that they had a male fitting the description stopped near Paterson and Oak Street. Gomez admitted to the crime. He was also found to have a warrant out of New Brunswick for $1,500. He was remanded to the Bergen County Jail after failing to make bail.

Lyndhurst

On Dec. 7, at approximately 7:06 a.m., reports began filtering in to police of four separate instances of holiday lawn decorations having been stolen from residents’ backyards. At 7:06 a resident at 472 Stuyvesant Ave. reported that two inflatable items, a Grinch and snow globe with Santa in it. The two decorations were valued at $300. At 7:33 a.m., a resident at 231 Post Ave. reported the theft of a $100 inflatable Santa riding a motorcycle decoration. Soon after two more similar reports filtered in from 334 Stuyvesant Ave. and 322 Kingsland Ave.

On Dec. 6, at approximately 4:07 p.m., a complainant parked in the lot of Michael’s Riverside, located at 528 Riverside Ave., reported that someone had smashed the front window of a 2002 Toyota and stole an $800 Garmin GPS system.

On Dec. 3, at approximately 8:41 a.m., a the owner of Garofalo Contractors, located at 840 Valley Brook Ave., reported the theft of a Mikasa vibrating plate compactor from an equipment trailer parked in the business’ lot. The complainant told police that entry was forced to the trailer sometime between Dec. 1 and the time of the report.

On Dec. 1, at approximately 2:31 p.m., a resident of an apartment at 544 Valley Brook Ave., reported that she had come home after a fire to retrieve some belongings only to find items missing from the residence. The complainant reported the theft of a 19-inch computer monitor, ruby necklace, gold necklace and gold bangle bracelet. There were no signs of forced entry to the dwelling.

North Arlington

On Dec. 2, a victim reported parking a 2006 Kenworth dump truck in the rear lot of 70 Porete Ave. at 2 p.m. on Dec. 1. The victim reported closing and locking the gate. When the victim returned on Dec. 2, the gate had been damaged and the truck, valued at $140,000, was missing. The truck was recovered in Elizabeth on Dec. 3 with multiple items stripped from it.

On Dec. 3, at approximately 8:25 p.m., a victim reported parking a 1999 Honda Civic on Sunset Avenue at Willis Road at 10 a.m. Upon returning at 3:30 p.m., the victim noticed the bottom portion of the car’s bumper had been stolen. The piece was valued at $200.

On Dec. 5, at approximately 2:15 p.m., employees of Charles Connelly Distributors placed a Williamson Steam Boiler on a loading dock at a storage area located at 41 River Road. After leaving the boiler on the dock for a brief period of time, it was stolen. The boiler was valued at $1,439.

Rutherford

On Dec. 4, at approximately 7:37 a.m., a man reported his car was broken into. The front driver’s side window was smashed and a $400 dashboard-mounted GPS system was reported stolen.

On Dec. 1, at approximately 10:51 a.m., a man reported someone broke into his car sometime between 1 and 10:30 a.m. while it was parked in the Renaissance Hotel parking lot. A $1,500 watch, a $400 cell phone and $1,600 in cash were reported stolen.

CDS

Lyndhurst

On Dec. 5, at approximately 8:55 p.m., officers on patrol witnessed a 2007 Honda driving south on Orient Way that had been displaying its front license plate improperly. The vehicle pulled over in the 7-Eleven parking lot, located at 750 Rutherford Ave. As the officers began to question the driver, 19-year-old William Heitmann of Lyndhurst, they observed him acting nervously. A subsequent search found that Heitmann was carrying a piece of tin foil and zip-lock bag on him; both containing marijuana. He was charged with possession of marijuana, possession of CDS in a motor vehicle and was issued a summons for improper display of license plates.

Criminal Mischief

East Rutherford

On Nov. 30, at approximately 4:10 p.m., a complainant parked in the lot across from the Candlewyck Diner, located at 179 Paterson Ave., reported that the driver’s side door of her vehicle had been scratched.

Rutherford

On Dec. 6, at approximately 11:06 a.m., a woman reported that on Dec. 4, she observed that someone had carved a vulgar word on the trunk of her car.

DWI

East Rutherford

On Nov. 30, at approximately 10:27 p.m., police responded to a motor vehicle accident near the corner of Paterson Avenue and Clinton Place. Upon arrival, police spoke with 28-year-old Michael Greene of Lyndhurst who had said he hit a parked vehicle. Police noticed the odor of alcohol emanating from his breath and asked if he been drinking, Greene replied he had five or six. After failing a sobriety test, Greene was arrested and charged with DWI.

Fraud

Rutherford

On Dec. 6, at approximately 1:03 p.m., a woman received a phone call from an unknown man who claimed he worked for the check company employed by her bank and asked her to read him the registration numbers on her checks. She asked for a number to call him back in order to verify. She gave him a number, she hung up and when she called back, the phone was answered by a different company.

Miscellaneous

Rutherford

On Dec. 7, at approximately 1:45 p.m., a student at Felician College reported receiving a threatening text message telling him to watch his back.

On Dec. 4, at approximately 7:30 a.m., a complainant reported that on the previous day a man had come to the front door of his house on Maple Street claiming to be soliciting for DirectTV. The resident said he wasn’t interested and the man left. The next day when the complainant called DirectTV to verify, the operator said the company has no knowledge of what marketing plans local retailers may have.