Springfield Police Nab Suspected Tool Thieves

Two men allegedly broke into tool sheds, work areas and landscaping trucks.

Last week, Springfield police arrested two men wanted in connection with a multi-town tool theft spree. Police believe that since June, the two men have broken into tool sheds, construction site trailers and landscaping trucks to power tools ranging from drills and saws to lawn mowers and weed whackers. Police say that surveillance photos from crime scenes show the men driving a Penske rental van to work sites, trucks and homes, which they would load up with pilfered power tools. The men are suspected of tool crimes in Freehold, Branchburg, South Plainfield, Madison, Maplewood and Summit. At 5:40 am on July 20, Springfield police officer Anthony Reimer was driving to police headquarters at the end of his shift when he reportedly saw the …

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Don't Lie to the Cops, Or The Wife

Police say one man did both, but not very well

Which is more punishing—the law or a scorned spouse? Springfield police say one man was betting on the latter, when he allegedly lied to them about being robbed. It turns out, police say, the man had been at a go-go bar in Newark, and got lost driving home, eventually winding up in Springfield. When his wife became worried he was late, she kept calling him, and he eventually told her he'd just been robbed at gunpoint—rather than admit he was at the go-go bar, police said. But things got a little more complicated when the wife offered to call 911 for the man, police said. He instead told her he'd do it ... and then did. When cops who responded thought the man's story didn't quite add up (the supposed robbers hadn't taken his cell phone, and…

Police: Man Invented Robbery as an Excuse for Strip Club Visit

Elmwood Park man reportedly told worried his wife he was robbed to explain why he was late getting home.

How hard is it to say “honey, I’m sorry I was late. I got lost driving home from the strip club”? Springfield police say an Elmwood Park man found it so hard to say that he got arrested. Police say officers responded to a 911 call reporting a robbery at the General Green Shopping Center on Morris Ave. at 10:43 on Friday, July 1. There, they found 39-year-old Eric Lau, who reportedly told police he had been the victim of an armed robbery. Lau reportedly told police he had gotten lost on Route 78 while trying to drive from Newark to his Elmwood Park home, and pulled into the shopping center parking lot, where he was and approached by two men standing by a car. He said that after, he asked for directions, the men took his wallet and money at …

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Springfield Police Connect Irvington Man to June Gas Station Robbery

Man is accused of gas station hold-ups throughout Essex and Union county.

Springfield Police have charged and arrested the man they believe committed the armed robbery at gunpoint of an attendant at the BP gas station on Morris Avenue on June 27. Leonard Crosby, 46, of Irvington, was initially arrested by Irvington Police and charged with committing a string of armed robberies of gas stations in Irvington and  a series of similar robberies throughout Essex and Union counties. Crosby, currently incarcerated in the Essex County Jail, was identified as the man who robbed the BP station in Springfield. He was charged with Armed Robbery, Unlawful Possession of a Handgun, Possession of a Handgun for an Unlawful Purpose and Terroristic Threats and arrested by Detective Keith Doherty on July 8. His bail was set at $150,…

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Police: Men Tried to Sell Stolen Musical Equipment at Guitar Center

Route 22 store employees alerted police after checking into equipment's history.

Springfield Police say two Newark men tried to sell over $10,000 worth of musical equipment stolen from churches to a branch of the chain store where the equipment was originally purchased. On Wednesday, May 11, two men tried to sell keyboards, synthesizers, mixing boards and other musical equipment to Guitar Center on Route 22 in Springfield. During the sale, store employees checked the model and serial numbers of the items, which they routinely do when the stores buy used music equipment or instruments.  The Guitar Center employees found that one item had been recently sold to a church in Newark.  The employee contacted the church and learned it had recently been burglarized, and that several items were stolen including the keyboard the …

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Shoplifting Investigation Leads to Assault Charges

Man arrested on multiple charges in late October.

It all started with some packages of coffee. According to a Springfield police report, on Oct. 31, Food King employees told police they saw a man shoplift packages of coffee, then hop into a car and drive through shopping carts on his way out of the parking lot. The employees wrote down the car's license plate, which police say they were able to trace back to 48-year-old Springfield resident Robert J. Zecca. Police went to Zecca's Morris Ave. home, where they reportedly found the car unoccupied but with the stolen coffee on the passenger seat. Zecca, who had active warrants for failure to appear in Millburn and Newark, wasn't home. At 3:43 p.m., Springfield police officers James Mirabile and Erik Knudsen saw Zecca walking down Morris …

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Springfield Man Arrested on Narcotics Charges

Arrest followed noise complaint.

Police have arrested a 26-year-old Springfield resident on drug charges in the early morning hours of Tuesday, Sept. 28. According to Springfield police reports, two township police officers responded to complaints of noise at the garage area of an apartment complex on South Springfield Ave. at 3:45 a.m. Police say they found five men and one woman sitting in the dark garage. Police reportedly found a bag containing a substance suspected to be marijuana and two large plastic bongs on top of a table in the garage. Police charged the garage's owner with possession of under 50 grams of marijuana and the possession of drug paraphernalia. Police also reportedly found five prescription drug tablets in the owner's possession. The officers …

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Suspicious Behavior in and Near Motor Vehicles Leads to Two Arrests

Police say both incidents involved substance abuse

In two unrelated incidents, Springfield police made controlled substances charges after reportedly observing odd behavior in motor vehicles. Police say that shortly before 10 p.m. on Friday, August 27, officers investigated reports of an occupied vehicle parked across multiple parking spaces at a gas station at the corner of Morris and Meisel Aves. The officers reportedly found a 24-year-old Springfield resident inside the front seat of the car, using what is believed to be heroin. He was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of a Hypodermic Needle and possession of drug paraphernalia. Two days later, a report of a car parked on the shoulder of rte 22 West led to a drunk driving arrest. According to a …

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Former Employee of Short Hills Gym Sentenced For Sexual Assault

Jose Reyes, 35, of Newark, was a manager at Can Do Fitness.

A former employee of Short Hills gym Can Do Fitness Center has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for sexually assaulting three boys. Jose Reyes, 35, of Newark, was a manager at the Short Hills facility at the time of his arrest in 2009, but there is no evidence he assaulted any children there. He was sentenced to a total of 20 years by Judge Robert H. Gardner—10 years for one count of first degree aggravated sexual assault and five years each for two counts of second degree sexual assault. According to the prosecutor's office, he must serve 85 percent of his 20-year prison sentence before he is eligible for parole. Reyes will serve his sentence at the Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center, the state prison for sex offenders, located in …

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Police: Thieves Used Credit Card Stolen From Car

Reportedly used the card at a Watchung Supermarket.

Police have charged two Elizabeth men with stealing numerous items form a parked car, including a credit card that they used in a supermarket in Watchung. Freddy Perez, Jr. and Juan Moran, both 34, allegedly broke into a car parked at the Echo Park shopping plaza on rte. 22 on April 2. Police say they used a credit card stolen from the car immediately after the alleged theft. After reviewing video footage reportedly showing the two men using the card in Watchung, Watchung and Springfield police identified the two men as the persons responsible for the April theft. Both subjects were arrested June 16 at the Union County Jail on where they were being held charges unrelated to the theft from the car. They were charged with burglary, theft of …

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