======================================================================== POLICE BLOTTER Fair Lawn: September - October 2004 ======================================================================== Bulletins from the Fair Lawn Police Department Sgt. Robert Boyle, Supervisor Community Policing and Traffic Unit 201-796-1400 rboyle@Fairlawnpd.com "Every citizen can be an extra pair of eyes and ears." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ George St. pentagram and swastikas ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7/ One crime that occurred on October 24th that you might be interested in is that a resident of George St. reported seeing a pentagram containing two swastikas drawn on the street with some sort of paint type substance. We photographed the evidence and then had the Rescue Squad remove it immediately. We are investigating this as a bias crime. The crime was not witnessed and we have no description of any suspects at this time. The information was released to the press and should be in the Shopper next week. We asked anyone with information about the crime to contact our detective bureau. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ contractor scam ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6/ A burglary recently occurred in which a homeowner was distracted by a man claiming to be a contractor. The “contractor” walked around the house with the homeowner pointing out items in need of repair. When the homeowner returned to his home, he found $3000 missing from his bedroom. It’s possible that a second accomplice sneaked into the house while the homeowner was being distracted. Residents are urged to be suspicious of anyone claiming to be a contractor who approaches them without being called first by the homeowner and to notify the police at 201-796-1400. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hartley Place burglary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5/ A burglary occurred in the nighttime hours on Hartley Place. When the homeowner heard noises, she went to investigate and saw a man standing at her door. Upon seeing the homeowner the man fled. Further investigation by the police revealed that the screen covering the door had been cut. The only description is that the man was wearing a dark colored hooded sweat shirt. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ credit card scam ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4/ Recently, some residents have reported that their credit cards were used to make purchases that they did not authorize. An investigation by the detective bureau revealed that many of these residents had used the credit card to purchase gasoline at local service stations. Recently an arrest was made at one station where an attendant who had been hired recently, obtained the credit card numbers of customers and then used them to illegally purchase merchandise. Additional arrests are expected soon and this scam may not be limited to just one gas station. The gas station owner did not know about this scam and was fully cooperative with investigators once he was notified and was instrumental in helping detectives to solve the case. We recommend that residents who have purchased gasoline with their credit cards examine their credit card statements carefully and notify both the police and their credit card companies immediately if they detect any irregularities. Residents also may wish to consider as a practice, paying for gas with cash unless the gasoline pump is of a type where the attendant can insert the card directly into the pump and return the card to the customer with the card never leaving the customer’s sight. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ River Road bank robbery ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3/ Most of you have probably heard about a bank robbery that occurred on October 6th at the Bank of New York on River Road. The press had a lot of fun with it because I guess it was a very slow news day. The Chief, the Borough Manager and a police officer had been in a meeting in a private office in another part of the bank to discuss a parking problem with bank management. The office was private and not accessible to the public. Nor could the bank lobby be viewed from the office. A man walked into the bank, handed the teller a note demanding money. The teller complied and the man fled the bank. The teller advised her supervisor and the supervisor went to the office to notify the bank manager. It was only then that the Chief and the other officer learned what transpired. The entire area was checked, but the suspect could not be located. He is described as a stocky black male, 25-35 years of age, wearing gray sweat pants, a gray sweat shirt and a knit cap with light facial hair. It is unknown whether he fled on foot or into a waiting vehicle. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ River Rd. threat with handgun ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2/ A resident reported that as he rode his bicycle past Friendly’s Restaurant at Berdan Ave. and River Rd. at approximately 12:45 a.m. on September 18th, as he passed the parking lot, he observed two black males and a white female talking. He alleged that one of the black males chased him and then pointed a handgun at him. He did not report the incident until today ( Sept 20th) because he recently immigrated from another country and had to be encouraged to report it by a friend. The suspect was described as a black male, 20-21 years old, approximately 6’ tall, 140-160 lbs, medium build, clack colored short hair and short facial hair, last seen wearing a plain white colored, long tee shirt that extended below his thigh area and a light blue colored, loose fitting pair of pants. The other two people who were with him, but did not chase the victim were a white female, approx. 21 years of age with curly blonde hair and a black male, approx. 20 years of age and short. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Broadway State Inspector scam ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1/ Man pretending to be State Inspector. On September 22nd, an incident occurred that everyone in the business community should be aware of. At approximately 6 p.m. a man entered a business on Broadway. He identified himself as an inspector with State of NJ, Department of Consumer Affairs. The man advised the business owner that he had to do a “mandatory” inspection of the business and that there would be a $75 fee. The man walked around the business and did a “Merchant Premises Inspection” sheet and then asked for the $75 which he received. He also left a business card. Later, when a police officer called the phone number from the business card, it turned out to be a non-working number. The man was described as a white or Hispanic male, approximately 30 years of age, 5’03”- 5’05” tall with a thin build, wearing a beige shirt, dark pants and carrying a black briefcase. Please be advised that anyone with a computer can replicate official logos and letterheads. Please ask to see the identification of anyone claiming to be an inspector and call the police at 201-796-1400 if you have doubts about the authenticity of the identification displayed or the person cannot produce identification after verbally identifying him/herself as a public official.