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BY MICHAEL OLOHAN
OF NORTHERN VALLEY PRESS
Hackensack, New Jersey—An Englewood resident who claimed he was looking out for pets left in hot, parked vehicles at a Home Depot was arrested July 20 by Hackensack police and charged with burglary, theft and possession of a controlled dangerous substance and drug paraphernalia, according to officials.
Police were called to the chain store’s Hackensack Avenue parking lot Friday at 2 p.m. on reports of a man looking into vehicle windows and found Adan Lora, 33, of Englewood, who said he was looking into cars and vans to assure no pets were left behind in hot, enclosed vehicles.
Upon investigation, police saw tools in Lora’s vehicle and discovered newly purchased tools and drug paraphernalia.
“He was basically shopping in the parking lot,” said Hackensack Police Capt. Peter Busciglio. He said similar charges were lodged against Lora in March.
The police report indicated the tools discovered in Lora’s possession still had price tags on them. Also, a bundle of wax commonly used to encase heroin was found in his possession.
Store surveillance footage also revealed that Lora was going from vehicle to vehicle, checking doors for open vehicles, and stealing tools and loading them into a shopping cart, police said.
Lora was released pending a court appearance, police said.
Police, in recent months and years, have urged residents to lock cars as Bergen County continues to see incidents of burglaries and many stolen vehicles often simply left unlocked with keys inside.
In nearby Paramus, police there announced they arrested Rashawn Vaughan, 22, of Passaic, on burglary to auto and theft accusations. Seven cars were burglarized overnight on June 10, with proceeds from the thefts including loose change, cash and at least one iPad. Vaughan was arrested on July 24 after investigators said evidence linked him to the crimes.
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