Belleville Police Blotter: Two Charged in Graffiti Arrests

March 2

Criminal Mischief

Two men were arrested for criminal mischief after graffiti was discovered on the outside walls of  301 Cortlandt St. at 3:15 a.m. Police said they observed a man run from the building to a Honda Accord and drive off at a high rate of speed. Police stopped the car and found a number of spray paint cans and a binder filled with graffiti tags. The two occupants of the car also had fresh, blue spray paint on their hands, police said.

Police returned to the Cortlandt Street building and found blue paint markings on the outside of the structure. Sean M. Raybeck, 22, of Wallington and Kevin Sanchez, 19 of Paterson were each charged with criminal mischief and released on their own recognizance. Several motor vehicle violations were also issued.

Feb. 29

Possession of CDS

After police pulled over a black BMW for swerving into traffic near 114 Washington Ave. at 10:55 p.m., the driver was arrested for possession of 10 bags believed to contain heroin. John Amuro, 29 of Saddle Brook was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance. Amuro also had two outstanding warrants, one for $322 from North Bergen and a no bail warrant from Middlesex County. Bail was set at $2,500.

Feb. 27

Car Theft 

Two cars were stolen and a third set of keys were reported taken from Signature Fitness, 471 Cortlandt St. at 9:40 p.m. Police said three patrons of the gym placed their keys in a basket and went to work out. When they finished, all three of them found that their car keys were missing. In two cases, the vehicles had been stolen, while the third set of keys were gone but the car was still in the lot. Reported stolen were a 2007 black Mazda 6 and 2012 white Honda Accord.

Theft

A 1996 silver Honda Civic was reported stolen from in front of a residence on Tappan Ave. at 8 p.m. The owner said he parked the car overnight and returned in the evening to find it missing.

Fight

A fistfight between a 13-year-old boy and a 14-year-old boy in the school cafeteria was reported by the School Resource Officer at Belleville Middle School at 1:30 p.m. The officer was summoned when screaming was heard from the cafeteria and he observed the two push each other, one swing a closed fist and the other retaliate. They were taken to the Vice Principal for disciplinary action. Neither juvenile was injured.

Lewdness

A 13-year-old girl reported an act of lewdness and an attempted luring at 11:45 a.m., although she said the incident had taken place the day before. The girl said she was walking near Delavan and Belleville avenues when a man pulled up next to her. He first asked directions to the library, which she gave to him, but she said she became suspicious when he slowly repeated each instruction back to her. He then asked if he could drive her to Clara Maass Medical Center and she observed him committing a lewd act.The man was described as between 20 and 30 years old, heavy set with close cut dark hair and a young-looking face, dressed in jeans.

Feb. 26

Shoplifting

A man ran from the Pathmark at 115 Belmont Ave. after a store security officer confronted him trying to leave with several cases of baby formula at 1:50 p.m. Police said the officer watched the suspect place the formula in a black bag and waited for him at the exit, at which point the man said he was not going to take the items and fled on foot. He was described as being about five feet, six inches tall, wearing a tan skull cap and sunglasses.

Warrant arrest

Police arrested a man for two outstanding warrants after he was stopped for running a stop sign at the corner of Clara Maass Drive and Newark Avenue at 10 p.m. Stephen D. Bryant, 39, of Maplewood was found to have a Totowa released on own recognizance warrant and a $600 warrant from Pequannock. He paid the $600 and was released.