POLICE BEAT

Cinderella story, except with an arrest

Police responded to a report of a fight near 60 Observer Highway on Saturday, March 16 around 2:55 p.m. A man told police that his car window had been punched and broken by an unidentified man. The victim alleged that he saw four males in the area when he was leaving a parking lot for his work break.
According to the report, the description of one of the males matched a man allegedly involved in a previous disturbance outside of 55 Newark St, a Johnny Cordero, 21. Police canvassed the area and found one Nike sneaker, then noticed a male walking west on Observer Highway with just one sneaker on, the report said.
The male was Johnny Cordero, who, when questioned, allegedly told police that someone was bothering him, so he broke the man’s window.
Cordero then allegedly thanked police for finding his sneaker, which he said cost around $100.
Cordero was arrested for criminal mischief. The victim later provided police with a hat that the victim said belonged to Cordero.
Cordero allegedly thanked police and said, “Damn, you find everything of mine.”
The cost of the broken window was $300, the report said.

Unhappy birthday

Police spotted two men walking into a Hoboken Housing Authority building who they knew were not residents, according to a police report.
Police entered the building and encountered Christopher Williams (who, according to the police report, was arrested last week for allegedly trespassing on HHA property) and John A. Fuller of Jersey City. Two more men came down the steps, Luis Pineiro and Eugene Ortiz. Pineiro and Ortiz were the two original men that police spotted and recognized, the report said.
Police alledge that they detected the smell of phencyclidine or “PCP” emanating from the breath of Pineiro and Ortiz, according to the report.
Police allege that the two men were visibly disoriented with bloodshot eyes and slurred speech.
All four men were placed under arrest. John A. Fuller was charged with defiant trespass: signs posted, Christopher Williams was charged with defiant trespass: verbally advised, while Pineiro and Ortiz were both charged with defiant trespass: verbally advised and use of a controlled dangerous substance.
The police report claims that Ortiz allegedly later said to police that he “just wanted to get high on his birthday.”
Ortiz also had two open warrants, one in Hoboken and one in Jersey City, according to the report. Ortiz was unable to post bail and was transferred to Hudson County Jail.

Mommy learns lesson about being too nice

A female in an apartment complex on River Street allegedly heard cries and yells outside of her door on Thursday, March 14 around 12:01 a.m. She thought there could be an emergency, the police report said. So she opened her door with the chain lock still on.
According to the report, an apparently intoxicated female allegedly began shoving her body into the door over and over. The woman thought the female needed help and unlatched the chain. The intoxicated female then allegedly began to wrestle and shove the victim. The victim was home with an infant and feared for her safety.
According to the police report, she then calmed the female down and helped direct her to where she needed to go. The door chain hardware was bent and damaged as well as the door frame and the door itself. Police are investigating.

Watch it

Police got a call on Friday, March 15 around 8:20 p.m. that a possible burglary was in progress at a Monroe Street building. Allegedly the potential burglar accessed the apartment by climbing up the fire escape. Police saw a chain-linked gate unlocked and ajar and an accessible ladder at the rear of the building, the police report said.
An officer entered the premises through an open window after climbing the ladder, and heard rummaging. The police officer also said in the report that the apartment looked ransacked and items had been strewn about.
The police officer spotted an open backpack with a laptop, an iPad, and a few wristwatches. The officer then found Edgar A. Pizarro in the lobby hallway. According to the report, Pizarro said he was not a resident.
Pizarro was placed under arrest. Police said they found a silver Armani Exchange watch that was allegedly in Pizarro’s pocket. Pizarro claimed the watch belonged to him. However, the occupant of the burglarized apartment said that he had such a watch. Pizarro was charged with burglary and theft of movable property.

First and Washington attack

On Saturday, March 16 around 3:15 p.m., a Short Hills resident was allegedly assaulted by five men near First and Washington streets. The men allegedly started out by making derogatory comments to the victim outside of a Washington Street business. The group allegedly then began to follow the victim, when the victim turned and threatened to call 911. One of the five men then allegedly snatched the cell phone of the victim, according to the police report. The victim was then allegedly punched and kicked in the ribs repeatedly by the men.
The victim was able to positively identify three of his five alleged attackers.
Antholin A Bretton of Union City, Victor R. Almanzar of Jersey City, and Michael S. Castro of Jersey City were placed under arrested for robbery. The other two men were not found. The victim was taken to Hoboken University Medical Center for care, the report said. The victim is awaiting x-ray results.

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