Latest Police Blotter: Catching The Bad Guys

       Montclair police arrested two different individuals recently in two separate burglary incidents.

        On Tuesday, August 11 at about 4:10 a.m., police responded to an apartment building on Claremont Avenue on a report of a possible burglary in progress. The caller reported hearing glass break and footsteps in an above apartment.

        Upon arrival, police heard a subject yell, "Oh sh--, oh sh--", and then observed a white male sitting on a roof of the building's porch. The male was ordered to stop, but he proceeded to jump from the roof into nearby bushes. The male was ordered out of the bushes and was seen holding a screwdriver. The male dropped the screwdriver and fled south through the property's rear yard. The male was apprehended after a brief foot pursuit.

            Further inspection of the scene revealed that a ladder had been propped against the front porch leading to a small rooftop landing. There was also an apartment with a shattered window.

            Kevin Comer, 50, of Montclair was placed under arrest and charged with burglary and possession of burglary tools. He was also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia after police found a glass stem commonly used to smoke crack in his pants pocket. Bail is set at $15,000.

           In another case, on Friday, July 30 at about 8:15 a.m., police were sent to High Street on a report of a stolen car. The owner stated that sometime between midnight and 7 a.m. on July 30, someone had broken into his Toyota Camry and stolen his Ford Mustang from his driveway. The keys to the Mustang had been left inside the Camry. Entry to the locked Camry was gained by breaking the passenger's side rear window. A Tom Tom GPS, valued at $200, was also stolen from the Camry.

            As a result of an ongoing investigation, Franklin Crenshaw, 45, of Newark, was identified as the suspect in this incident. Crenshaw was charged with burglary and motor vehicle theft. He is currently in custody with bail set at $15,000.

          The latest police blotter, just in from Lt. Scott Buehler at the Montclair Police Department, also includes:

Theft

        On Tuesday, August 10 at about 11:40 a.m., police were dispatched to Inwood Avenue on a report of a theft. The complainant stated that her child's bicycle was stolen from the front porch of their residence sometime between 9 p.m. on August 9 and 10 a.m. on August 10. The bicycle had been left unlocked prior to the theft. The bicycle is described as a blue and black JAMIS 20" boy's Laser 20 bike with an estimated value of $180. There are no suspects at this time.

Warrant Arrest

         On Tuesday, August 10 at about 5:10 p.m., police assumed custody of Reinaldo Padilla III from the New Jersey State Police. Padilla, 34, of East Orange, had a warrant out of Montclair, with bail set at $500.

Burglary Occurred

            On Tuesday, August 10 at approximately 5:50 p.m., police were dispatched to a single family residence on Union Street on a report of a burglary. The complainant stated that she left her residence on August 10 at about 10 a.m. When she returned at approximately 5:45 p.m., she discovered that a MacBook Pro Lap Top, a Panasonic Lumix camera valued at $800, and her iPhone charger had been stolen. The laptop and camera were taken from a bedroom, while the cell phone charger had been taken from a counter in the kitchen. Entry to the residence is believed to have been gained through an unlocked rear door. There are no suspects at this time. There are no suspects at this time. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Ray Gulbin at 973-509-4739.