This section is based on data provided to Pascack Press weekly by neighborhood police departments. Due to pending court appearances and other variations, the following information shall be read in ‘press time’ context.
Stopped at GSP rest area, man busted over heroin
An officer on patrol the night of April 18 conducted a motor vehicle stop at the Garden State Parkway Service Area. The investigation led to the arrest of a man, 29, for possession of heroin and drug paraphernalia.
According to the police report, while driving through the southbound side of the Garden State Parkway Rest Area, the officer observed a Blue BMW 328 with a man lying in the back seat of the vehicle.
The officer saw the registration was expired on the Florida temporary tag displayed on the back of the car.
As the officer approached, he reports, the suspect “jumped up out of the back seat and began grabbing items from the back of the vehicle. He then got out of the car and put an item in the trunk. He got back into the vehicle and attempted to back out of the parking spot. This is when I initiated a motor vehicle stop.”
Based on probable cause, the officer indicated he wanted to search the car. The suspect first denied consent. A K-9 was dispatched to conduct a free air sniff around the vehicle. Backup arrived.
While waiting for the K-9 to arrive, the suspect decided to grant consent to search the vehicle.
As the officer reports, “I first found an empty heroin wax fold under the driver seat. I then found a fast food bag stuffed between luggage in the trunk. The bag contained an opened sauce container with a used heroin wax fold inside it. At this time [the suspect] indicated this was what he put in the trunk.”
The report continues, “He then indicated there was more in a multicolored backpack also located in the trunk. In the backpack I found two bricks, and one bundle of heroin labeled ‘Barbecue Chicken.’ I also found 84 used wax folds of heroin labeled ‘Dark Phoenix.’ Ten more used wax folds of heroin labeled ‘Star Power’ were found in Army duffel bag next to the backpack. One rolled-up white paper straw with heroin residue was also found in the back seat.”
The defendant was arrested, handcuffed, and taken to headquarters.
He is charged with possession of heroin, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving or parking unregistered vehicle, and controlled dangerous substance in a motor vehicle. After being given his court date he was given a courtesy ride back to his car.
Prints at window, but no sign home was broken into
A resident reported a possible attempted break-in at her house April 19 after finding disturbances.
As the report says, “She informed me that she left her residence April 18 at approximately 9:30 p.m. and returned April 19 at 6:30 p.m. She noticed that the screen portion of the first-floor window was raised and a garbage can outside the window was no longer where she had placed it.”
The report continues, “I examined the window from the outside and could see a number of clear hand prints with portions of latent prints being visible. I reached out to Detective Fedick to inform him of the situation. He recommended that I contact Bergen County Bureau of Criminal Investigations and request they come to the scene.”
Investigation indicated no entry was gained and no items were lost.
Detectives arrived, then dusted and photographed the four handprints. A second window with a smudged handprint was located but it was too smudged to be of evidentiary value.
Officers cleared the scene without incident.