Police Blotter

Police Blotter: Traffic Stops Lead To Multiple Drug Arrests

The following information was obtained from the Cranford Police Department. An arrest does not indicate a conviction.

  Aug. 9 Aug. 15 Aug. 16

• Photos (1)

Police: Cranford Man Robbed On Birchwood Avenue

Police are seeking suspects linked to a robbery that took place May 25.

On May 25, a Cranford man reported that he was robbed while walking north on Birchwood Avenue. Acording to a press release from the Cranford Police Department, the 46-year-old man reported that he was walking towards Orange Avenue at about 5 p.m. when a Chrysler Sebring convertible, occupied by two Hispanic males, pulled in front of him and stopped. The passenger exited the vehicle and brandished a small black handgun, ordering the victim to surrender his backpack. According to police, the armed suspect made off with more than $500 in cash, an MP3 player,= and portable speakers. The armed suspect is described as an Hispanic male with dark short hair, possibly a “buzz cut,” wearing a blue T-shirt. The driver was described as a Hispanic male…

•  5 Comments
• Photos (1)

Surveillance Video Helps Police Crack Burglary Case

Cranford and Mountainside Police worked together to identify a suspect responsible for stealing several computers from Cranford office buildings.

Following an extensive investigation, Cranford Police arrested a 52-year-old East Orange man in connection with the theft of laptop computers from three offices on Commerce Drive. On March 23 at 4 p.m., Detective Ryan Greco arrested a man identified as Abdurraheen A. Akbar and charged him with robbery, burglary and theft. The arrest came after an investigation into the Jan. 13 robbery of three individual commercial buildings on Commerce Drive. A total of five laptop computers were stolen. According to Detective Lt. James Wozniak, in one case, an employee actually saw the suspect in the office building. "The suspect was confronted by an employee at which time the suspect kicked the employee and ran from the building," Wozniak said. "Similar…

• Photos (1)

Cranford Police: 18 Car Burglaries Since Mid-March

Cranford and Westfield police are working together to catch suspects who have broken into a total of 40 cars between the two towns since St. Patrick's Day.

The Cranford Police Department is working in conjunction with Westfield Police to find thieves who robbed 18 cars in Cranfod and 22 cars in Westfield since St Patrick's Day weekend. "The most recent were the other night, Wednesday night into Thursday morning between 7:30 p.m. and 5:30 a.m.," Cranford Detective Lt. James Wozniak said.  "The Northeast section of Cranford was hit, Central Avenue, Prospect Avenue, Riverside Drive, Sylvester Street and Orange Avenue. The other incidents happened in the early evening hours of March 17-18. That area was Rodger Avenue and Keith Jefferies Avenue." In Westfield, the majority of the incidents also occurred on March 17 and 18. Westfield Police Capt. David Wayman said the number of thefts is "unusually…

• Photos (3)

Police Blotter

Police Blotter: Newark Man, Juvenile Arrested For Drug Possession

The following information was obtained from the Cranford Police. An arrest does not indicate a conviction.

A routine traffic stop led to the arrest of a Newark man and a juvenile on March 16, after he was found to be in possession of suspected heroin. On March 16, Cranford Police Officer Spencer Durkin stopped a 2008 Ford Crown Victoria for making an illegal turn in the area of Raritan Road and Coleman Avenue. After a brief at the scene, Durkin located more than 100 folds of suspected heroin on two passengers of the vehicle. The passengers, Joshua Rodriques, 18, of Newark and a 17-year-old juvenile were arrested and charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance (heroin), possession of CDS with the intent to distribute, possession with the intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of Linden School 10 and possession of CDS …

• Photos (2)