Cresskill Police: Grant Avenue Man Allegedly Punched Neighbor

CRESSKILL, N.J.—A Grant Avenue man is due in Cresskill court for allegedly assaulting his neighbor, who said he was blindsided when punched in the face after blowing leaves in his driveway. 

Before he could ask the neighbor why he’d just punched him in the face, the victim was struck again in the face and knocked to the ground. The alleged aggressor nearly broke the victim’s finger, taking his phone as he attempted to call for help, and flinging it into a leaf pile, a police investigation  report states.

The victim, with visible swelling on the left side of his face and a swollen pointer finger, was treated by Cresskill EMS and taken to Englewood Hospital. 

Police knocked on the door of the alleged assailant, who complied with officers and took a seat on his front steps. Read his Miranda rights, he said that his neighbor came at him with his leaf blower and he needed to defend himself. He had no signs of injury. He was placed under arrest and charged with simple assault. 

Car stolen from Vaccaro Drive residence 

A 2020 BMW was stolen from a Vaccaro Drive residence on Nov. 21 at 3:55 a.m., according to a Cresskill police investigation report. 

Residents reported the car stolen, the act captured on an unclear video that shows an unknown vehicle pull up, an actor exit that vehicle, walk up the driveway, enter the resident’s car and drive off.

Both key fobs were inside the house at the time of the theft, the residents reported. 

The car was entered into a national crime database and officers canvassed the neighborhood in an attempt to collect more surveillance footage from nearby residences that may have captured the suspects. 

Following up, a dealership representative confirmed that the two key fobs belonged to the stolen car, but told officers the new BMWs come with a third credit-card style key.

On Nov. 22, New Jersey State Police recovered the vehicle, informing Cresskill police they would process it.

Social Security number reported used by another 

On Nov. 22 at 2:22 p.m., a Glenview Terrace resident reported that someone has been using her Social Security number. 

The resident said that when she attempted to apply for unemployment, she was advised that someone was collecting unemployment using her Social Security number, who had also used the number for three different employers.