High school b-baller jailed
Police arrested All-County basketball star Edward Canary for two counts of robbery on Saturday, June 13.
At 1:07 a.m., a victim was approached by a group of six or seven men at Third and Madison streets and one man snatched $15 cash from his hand, he told police.
The victim asked for his money back, but was knocked unconscious, allegedly by Canary, said police Lt. Det. Charles Campbell.
A witness across the street saw the victim fall face first to the ground, and also saw the group drag the victim out of sight and loot his pockets, Campbell said.
Some people in the group were enticing the attacker to continue the beating, the witness said, but the attackers instead fled the area.
Police were given a description of the attackers by the witness and searched the area.
At 1:28 a.m., patrolmen saw a scuffle in Church Square Park and upon closer inspection realized that one of the men – who took off running – fit the description given by the previous witness.
The group was harassing a man in the park when police arrived. The victim said one man said to him, “What are you doing in my park after dark?” Another man tried to take his backpack, the victim told police, and then swept his legs out from under him when he didn’t submit.
Officers gave chase and detained a few members of the group blocks away, including Canary, whom police say was identified by both victims as the attacker.
Canary, an 18-year-old first team All-County junior forward at Hoboken High School, was held on $3,000 bail.
For more on this story, see Jim Hague’s sports column inside.
Taxi jumps curb, hits man
A taxi whose driver was allegedly heading the wrong way up Hudson Street struck a 75-year-old local man who police said is in stable condition.
The cab careened off the road on Thursday, June 18 at 1:19 p.m. and struck a flower box and gate outside Green Rock Tap and Grill. Then, according to police, it hit a fire hydrant, a parked SUV, and the victim, before crossing the street laterally and crashing again on the other side in front of Hudson Grill and Caterers, 79 Hudson St.
The victim was sent flying onto a parked SUV, where his head hit the windshield, according to police. He was transported to Jersey City Medical Center for injuries including a possible separated or dislocated shoulder, but nothing life-threatening, police said.
The Hoboken cab driver did not seem to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, said Lt. Mark Competello. The driver claimed the accelerator pedal became stuck.
Police will investigate the possible mechanical failure, which may take a week, Competello said. If no mechanical failure is found, police will then any issue any appropriate summons or charges.
Scamming continues
On Thursday, June 11, police received a complaint from an 83-year-old Hoboken woman who was taken for $2,700 in a flim-flam scam.
The woman received notice in the mail claiming she had won a prize, police said. To receive a $250,000 “consumer promotional prize,” the woman was instructed by the mailer to call a company called “City Financial” with a claim number, then told via phone to send a $2,700 MoneyGram to Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada to cover Canadian taxes on her winnings.
The woman sent the money weeks ago and has not received anything in return, police said.
In a similar situation, another resident was taken by a Craigslist scam, Campbell said.
Police said a home school teacher was contacted via the website and sent a $2,800 check for her services. She said she was asked to clear the check, keep $700, and send back the difference.
After depositing the full check and sending off a check of her own for $2,100, the victim learned that first check bounced and the second check was cashed, police said.