Fairfield Police Department

Police Blotter

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Crime Prevention Tip

The Police Department asks that you report any suspicious activity (vehicles or persons) without delay by calling 973-227-1400. Please do not hesitate to report anything you feel may be out of the ordinary. All calls of this nature are always treated as a priority.

July 13, 2008

Commercial Burglary

Officers responded to a burglary at Dunkin' Donuts/Baskin Robbins at approximately 5:15am today. Employees of the store, located on Route 46 East near Horseneck Road, arrived shortly after 5:00am and discovered that several cash registers were damaged. Further examination revealed that entry to the building was gained through a roof hatch. Several hundred dollars in cash were taken from inside.

July 10, 2008

Target Employee Charged

A Target employee was arrested on theft charges just after 5:00pm this evening. The employee, who worked in the warehouse, was charged with stealing more $3,500.00 worth of inventory from the store over the course of the past few months. Felix Soto, 30, of Paterson was charged with theft and released on his own recognizance.

July 6, 2008

Fugitive Strikes Officer with Vehicle

At approximately midnight, Officer Frank Giangerelli conducted a traffic stop after observing a 2002 Nissan Altima commit several motor vehicle violations. The vehicle was stopped in the parking lot of 30 Two Bridges Road and Officer Jeff Didyk arrived as backup. While speaking with the driver, later identified as Justin Gari, 21 of Miami, Florida, Officer Giangerelli allegedly detected an odor of alcoholic beverages on Mr. Gari's breath. When Officer Giangerelli asked Mr. Gari to exit the vehicle, Mr. Gari, put the car in drive and fled. In doing so, Officer Giangerelli was struck by the fleeing Nissan. The officers pursued the Nissan onto Route 46 and then onto Plymouth Street. The Nissan went out of control after striking the curb at the intersection of Horseneck Road and Plymouth Street and came to rest on the lawn of the Fairfield Food Market.

Mr. Gari fled the vehicle on foot and was pursued by responding officers. He was arrested in the rear of the St. Thomas More Church by Officer Jeff Didyk and Sergeant Chris Oswald. Mr. Gari was later transported to Mountainside Hospital for evaluation and released back to police custody. Officers Giangerelli and Didyk were treated at Chilton Hospital for minor injuries and later released.

Mr. Gari was charged with aggravated assault on a police officer, eluding, resisting arrest, DUI, and numerous motor vehicle violations. He was held on $75,000 bail. Mr. Gari was also found to be a wanted person by the Miami-Dade Police Department for burglary and violation of parole. Mr. Gari was transferred to the Essex County Jail in Newark and is awaiting extradition to Florida.

July 5, 2008

Commercial Burglary

Police were called to a Washington Avenue business shortly after 9:30am on a reported burglary. The business had been closed at 7:30pm on July 3rd. When employees arrived this morning, they discovered forced entry to the front of the building. Several tools were reportedly stolen from inside.

July 5, 2008

Narcotics Arrest

At 12:05am, Officer David Chabay discovered a male in the bus stop at Two Bridges Road and Route 46 apparently unconscious. Officer Chabay called for medical assistance and was able to wake the male however he was allegedly very incoherent. While awaiting the ambulance and paramedics, the victim, Saqib Khan, 36, of Boonton removed a cellophane package from his pocket alleging it contained candy. Officer Chabay recognized the items in the cellophane and realized it contained numerous packets of heroin. Mr. Khan was also found to be in possession of a hyodermic needle. He was arrested and transported to Mountainside Hospital for evaluation. He was later released from the hospital and transported back to Police Headquarters. He was charged with possession/use of heroin, possession with the intent to distribute heroin within 1000' feet of a school zone, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was held on $30,000.00 bail and transferred to the Essex County Jail in Newark.

July 3, 2008

Stolen Vehicle

Police responded to a Route 46 limousine company this morning on a reported stolen vehicle. Employees of the business reported a 2001 Ford Van stolen from their parking lot. The van was last seen parked in the lot at 7:00pm on July 2nd.

July 3, 2008

Junior Police Academy

The Essex County College Police Academy in Cedar Grove will hold its 4th annual Junior Police Academy July 14-18 for teens ages 13 through 16. Tuition is $100 for the one-week session that runs from 8:30 a.m., to 4:30 p.m. each day.

The junior academy is for both boys and girls. Hands-on activities will be augmented with lectures and presentations including a physical training component in order to provide the atmosphere experienced by police recruits undergoing training. A varied curriculum will be offered that touches on such topics as introduction to criminal justice, the juvenile justice system, fingerprinting and identification, K-9, gang awareness and identification, drug awareness, Internet safety, and arson and fire safety. This year's program includes a field trip to the NJ State Police Museum and the ROIC.

For more information, click Junior Police Academy. You may also choose to contact Captain Lori Apicelli at 973-877-4354 or via e-mail at apicelli@essex.edu

June 16, 2008

Theft from Vehicle

Police were called to a business located in the Pio Costa Industrial Complex this morning regarding a theft. An employee reported that approximately $2,600.00 worth of tools were stolen from one of the company vans, a 2006 Chevy Van. The van was parked in the Bloomfield Avenue parking lot at approximately 6:00pm on June 13th.

June 15, 2008

Truck Stolen

Employees of Apollo Distributing on Passaic Avenue reported a truck tractor stolen at approximately 10:00pm tonight. The employees reported seeing one of the company's rental trucks, a 2000 Freightliner tractor marked "Hertz Rental T-57", leaving the parking lot at that time. They were unable to see who was driving the truck.

June 12, 2008

Narcotics Arrests

Officer Alex Cifelli was dispatched to check a suspicious vehicle parked in the lot of the Valero gas station on Route 46 East shortly after 10:00pm tonight. Upon arrival he found two males seated in a 2000 Honda bearing a New York registration. Further investigation led to the arrest of the the two vehicle occupants for narcotics violations. Carl Vinci, 30 and Daniel Ochoa, 28 both of New Rochelle, NY were charged with possession of marijuana and cocaine and later released on their own recognizance.

June 12, 2008

Theft from Vehicle

Employees of a Parsippany landscaping company reported a theft from one of their trucks today. The theft occurred at approximately 11:30am today while the company was doing landscape work at Bassett Furniture on Route 46. When employees returned to their unlocked truck they discovered landscaping equipment (backpack blower and a weed trimming device) valued at approximately $600.00 were missing.

June 12, 2008

Two Arrested for Theft

Several Fairfield police units were dispatched to a Bloomfield Avenue business just before 9:00am today. It was reported that two males driving white Ford van were involved in a theft of scrap metal. Officer David Chabay located the alleged suspect vehicle at the Pio Costa Industrial Complex. Further investigation led to the arrest of the two occupants, Nolyn Flowers, 33 and Henry Licen, 55 both of Newark. They were charged with theft and later released on their own recognizance.

June 11, 2008

Two Arrested for Theft

At approximately 10:25pm, Fairfield police units were dispatched to Fisher Transmission on Route 46 on a reported theft in progress. Upon arrival, Officer Brian Holzmann and several other officers discovered two males loading vehicle parts into a 1999 Isuzu truck. Further investigation led to the arrest of both suspects and their vehicle being impounded. Police charged Kevin Brady, 20 of Montclair and David Chalek, 24 of Bloomfield with theft. The pair was also charged in an identical theft that occurred approximately one week earlier at the same business. The two were later released on $2,500.00 bail.

May 16, 2008

DWI Following MV Accident

At approximately 1:15m, Officer Paul Marinaccio came upon an abandoned damaged vehicle, a 2003 Honda Accord, on the lawn of 310 Fairfield Road. The vehicle apparently struck a utility pole on Fairfield Road before coming to rest on the lawn. Upon checking the area, the driver of the vehicle, Violet Esipila, 24 of Garfield was located in the parking lot of Charlie Brown's restaurant. After investigating further, Ms. Esipila was placed under arrest for DUI and transported to Mountainside Hospital for evaluation. She was charged with DUI, leaving the scene of an accident, failing to report an accident and DUI within 1000 feet of a school zone. She was admitted to the hospital and later released on her own recogizance.

May 8, 2008

Stolen Purse

A Mount Tabor woman reported her purse stolen this morning. The victim was at Crave Restaurant on Passaic Avenue and was seated at the bar. She claimed to have gotten up to speak to another person for several minutes sometime after midnight. Upon returning to her seat, she discovered that her purse had been taken containing her personal identification and her cellular phone.

May 8, 2008

Diesel Fuel Stolen

Police were called to a Commerce Road business this morning after the company noticed fuel missing from three of their trucks. The trucks were parked outside the business at approximately 6:00pm on May 6th and were fully loaded with diesel fuel. When employees arrived to take the trucks at approximately 9:00am today they noticed that the tanks were almost empty. A total of 250 gallons valued at approximately $1,000.00 was missing. Fuel prices in general have risen dramatically in recent months and this rising cost may be associated with thefts of this type.

May 7, 2008

Vehicle Parts Stolen

A Passaic Avenue business reported the theft of auto parts from one of their vehicles. The company reported parking their 2001 Ford van outside their building at approximately 8:00pm on May 6th. When the driver arrived for work at 7:00am today, he noticed that the side view mirrors from the van were missing.

For further information, please contact Deputy Chief Steven Gutkin
(Public Information Officer) at (973) 575-1038 or
Public Information.