Band bonanza busted
Police broke up a four-band live show last weekend because – they said – the size of the crowd at the premises was more than twice the legal occupancy, and a man was allegedly smoking a joint in the bathroom.
On Friday, March 12, police responded to the Monroe Center for the Arts, 720 Monroe St., after receiving noise complaints. They said they they found a crowd of more than 250 in a room certified for 111 people.
The event organizer, who was also the lead singer for one of the bands, told police the party had started at 7 p.m. and the door charge was $10.
Detectives on the scene found a man allegedly smoking marijuana in the bathroom, police said.
Police broke up the event at 10 p.m. Angry attendees asking for refunds from the event organizer were told to contact him through Facebook for their money back.
A representative of the Monroe Center was also on hand, and police told him he should have notified them of the conditions before police received complaints from neighbors.
Police said they intend to issue a complaint for dangerous conditions, but have not yet determined who was ultimately responsible, they said.
Homeless dog walker scam
Police have charged a local homeless man with allegedly stealing from a bedridden Hoboken woman who had been paying him $20 per day to walk her two dogs.
The man, John Steinagle, 45, is from Jersey City but was living at the Hoboken Homeless Shelter at Third and Bloomfield streets, police said.
The woman told police she trusted the man with her bank card last September to buy groceries, but she later found out someone had been making unauthorized withdrawals up until January.
The woman also noticed that $1,400 was missing from a small box on her dresser in the bedroom.
Police said the victim told them Steinagle allegedly confessed to her that he took the money, but ran from her house.
Police have charged Steinagle with theft of movable property and credit card theft.
Left $6K watch with acupuncturist?
A local woman visited a local acupuncturist and left her Rolex watch, valued at several thousand dollars, on the therapeutic bed, she said. When she realized the watch was missing, she returned to find the establishment closed.
The next day a store employee told the woman that her watch was not found. The acupuncturist said she never noticed the watch on the bed after the woman had left the day before, and no other appointments came in after her. Also, the two employees told police there was no cleaning crew in the building overnight.
The silver Rolex with white gold bezel is valued at $6,000. The woman provided police with its serial number.
Police were unable to obtain any video footage from the facility, and advised the victim to monitor internet sites such as eBay. They instructed her to notify police if she is able to identify the watch.
Corona extra
A man allegedly drinking beer on the steps of a Housing Authority building managed to turn a simple police complaint for having an open container of alcohol into three serious charges, including resisting arrest, police said.
On Tuesday, March 15, police approached three men in the area of 320 Marshall Drive on a report that they were drinking on the steps. Police said Barry High, 21, Hoboken, was allegedly holding a 12 oz. bottle of Corona. According to police, High allegedly became irate and belligerent when asked to produce identification.
Officers said High “caused alarm and annoyance” outside the building and allegedly used abusive language toward the officers. The officers told High they were placing him under arrest for disorderly conduct, but they said High allegedly continued his loud and abusive language.
Officers again ordered High to cease and desist, but they said High allegedly fled the scene. Police caught him a block away and a struggle ensued before the officers could place handcuffs on him.
High was additionally charged with obstructing the administration of the law and resisting arrest.