Flies followed to antique gun haul
What began as concern over a possible dead or diseased occupant in a Park Avenue townhouse this past Monday ended with the discovery of a cache of antique guns and explosive devices, according to a report released by the Hoboken Police Department.
The saga began when a passerby noticed a large amount of flies congregating in the window of a row house on the 700 block of Park Avenue. After the pedestrian called Hoboken police headquarters, Officers Armando Caraballo and Elias Colon were dispatched to perform a well-being check on the building’s occupants.
With the assistance of the Hoboken Fire Department, Caraballo and Colon were able to enter the apartment, where they immediately detected a strong odor of decay. A cursory sweep by the officers revealed no human occupants but a smattering of dead rats and garbage, the true source of the smell.
In one of the rooms, Caraballo and Colon found nine assault rifles, four handguns, and what appeared to be explosive devices.
After evacuating all of his officers, Hoboken Police Lt. John Petrosino called in Sgt. Robert Fulton, the department’s firearms instructor and weapons expert, and the Jersey City Bomb Squad to identify the weapons and disable them if need be. All of the guns and devices were subsequently determined to be safe. They were removed and placed in the Hoboken Police Department safe for safekeeping.
Once the weapons were gone, city health inspector Lynette Medeiros was called in due to the condition of the apartment.
According to police, the owner of the apartment was eventually located and explained that the guns were decommissioned war artifacts collected by her deceased husband.
Three more arrested in southwest drug bust
The Hoboken Police Department nabbed three additional men accused of dealing drugs in front of a southwest Hoboken mini-mall two weeks ago, bringing the total number of suspects arrested as a result of a two-month joint investigation by Hoboken and Hudson County law enforcement to 21, according to a report released by Sgt. Edgardo Cruz.
Hoboken resident Jeffrey Ferguson, 22, and Jersey City resident Jordan Perez, 20, were arrested on Wednesday, May 13. Then Hoboken resident David Diaz was arrested on Thursday, May 14. All three were charged with multiple counts of drug distribution, according to police.
Bail was set at $50,000 cash for Ferguson, $75,000 cash for Diaz, and $100,000 cash for Perez.
The lion’s share of the suspects identified by Hoboken police in their drug-dealing investigation were apprehended during a massive sting operation orchestrated on Friday, May 8 in and around the Hoboken Housing Authority and the shopping plaza in question. According to Sgt. Cruz’s press release, Hoboken Police and the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office are actively pursuing additional targets in relation to the probe.
Police allege that a group of Hoboken and Jersey City men operated an open-air market for marijuana, heroin, and crack cocaine outside of the West Side Plaza, a suite of restaurants and stores located at Third and Jackson streets. Police were alerted to the alleged enterprise by complaints from public housing residents and local business owners.
Watch out for PSE&G phone scam
The Hoboken Police Department asks residents to be wary of a potential scam involving phone calls from individuals claiming to be representatives of Public Service Electric & Gas (PSE&G), the local power utility.
In this particular scam, a caller using an 800 number will state that the electricity in a victim’s apartment will be turned off if he or she does not pay a supposed outstanding bill in full. The victim will then be asked to call a provided 800 number and speak with a different alleged PSE&G employee in order to make a payment over the phone.
A time limit of 30 minutes will typically be given to the victim so that he or she is incentivized to make the payment quickly and under duress. Once a payment is made, the call is terminated.
Other variations on this scam involve callers asking a victim to use pre-paid Visa debit cards or Green Dot cards to make a payment. These calls are not unique to Hoboken and have been reported statewide.
Anyone receiving a telephone communication of this variety should not engage the caller in conversation or provide any payment. A call should immediately be made to PSE&G in order to confirm the validity of any payment requests. PSE&G can be reached by phone at 1-800-350-PSEG (7734) or via email at PSEG-BAandR@pseg.com.
In case of emergency, call 911 or the Hoboken Police Department at (201) 420-2100.
Allegedly gashed over a gal
An argument over a female on a downtown Hoboken street two weeks ago resulted in one man being slashed in the face with a box cutter and another man being arrested for the alleged attack, according to a report provided by the Hoboken Police Department.
Hoboken police were first alerted to the attack when they received a call at around 8 p.m. on Monday, May 11 reporting a man bleeding from the face. Dispatched to the area, Officer Joe Lucignano took down a description of the victim from the caller and located the victim sitting on a bench on Washington Street, bleeding profusely from the left side of his face, according to the report.
The victim told police he had been walking in the vicinity of Third and Hudson streets with an acquaintance, later identified as Paterson resident Vincent Clark, 44, when they began a verbal altercation over a female. According to the victim, Clark allegedly pulled out a box cutter and began waving it around, subsequently slashing the victim on the face and fleeing the scene.
According to the report, three days later on Thursday, May 14, the victim phoned police and said he had seen Clark walking toward the St. Matthews Lutheran Church in Hoboken, which provides daytime food and services for the homeless.
Based on a description provided by the victim, Hoboken police officers apprehended Clark at the church. He was charged with aggravated assault, possession of a weapon, and unlawful possession of a weapon.