Winter Storm On the Way

Snow to Begin Falling In Our Area Early This Evening - 8-12 Inches Expected

February 5th, 2010

A winter storm warning is in effect for our area.  8-12" of snow is expected to cover the area. As of this writing (early morning) snow is expected to begin falling at around 6:00 PM tonight.

You can read more about the storm, track its progress, and watch streaming video at our Weather for Edison, NJ page. 

16 Year Old Arrested For Car Theft and Burglary of House

February 5th, 2010

A 16 year old teenager allegedly stole a car from the parking lot of Edison High School and burglarized the car owner's home on Wednesday. His name has been withheld by authorities due to his age.

The teenager was arrested at 3:20 PM on Wednesday.  Rutgers police spotted him driving through New Brunswick.  He attempted to evade police.  The youth was pursued into Edison, where he abandoned the vehicle on Seville Ave. near Central Ave and fled on foot. 

(courtesy Google Maps - view larger)

The youth was apprehended by Edison police Officer William Revill who responded to pursuit. 

Items stolen from the auto theft victim's home were recovered.  The teenager was charged with theft of a motor vehicle and burglary. He was released to his parents.

You can read more in the following source articles:

Edison teen is charged with stealing car from Edison High School, breaking into home - NJ.com, February 4th, 2010

Edison teen charged with stealing car, breaking into owner's home - myCentralJersey.com, February 4th, 2010

Police Arrest Apartment Burglary Suspect

February 3rd, 2010

Last Tuesday at 10:40 AM, police arrested a man who was observed breaking into the ground floor window of an apartment.  The break-in occured at an apartment complex on College Drive located near Middlesex County College.  Police have been investigating four burglaries at the complex during the past few weeks. 

Ingemar Hankerson, 47, was charged with burglary and possession of buglary tools.  He is being held at the Middlesex County Correctional Facility in North Brunswick.  His bail has been set at $100,000.  Hankerson is reportedly suspected of commiting the four recent buglaries at the apartment complex.

The following police are credited with working on the investigation and making the arrest: Detective Sgt. Thomas Lacik, Detective Nicholas Puccio, Detective Al Engel, Officers Brian Castles, and Michael Horvath.

Source articles:

Edison man being watched by police charged with breaking into home - myCentralJersey.com, February 3rd, 2010

Edison man arrested after series of burglaries at apartment complex - NJ.com, February 3rd, 2010

Police Nab Suspects in Recent Purse Snatchings and Car Break-ins

As Yet More Crime Is Reported

February 2nd, 2010

Police have arrested two women for purse snatchings in Edison and Monroe parking lots between November 21st and January 22nd.  Lillian Allen, 39, and Annie Lawrence, 62 of Monmouth Junction were arrested Saturday on robbery charges and are being held on $310,000 bail with no 10%. 

Source article: 

Two women charged in string of muggings in Edison, Monroe parking lots - myCentralJersey, February 1st, 2010

Also arrested on Saturday were four men accused of a string of 14 car burglaries in late December at Menlo Park mall, Target and Macaroni Grill.  Joe Medeiros, 34; Andrew Medeiros, 19; Marcos Silva, 28; and Jean Medeiros, 28 were charged with multiple counts of burglary, theft and criminal mischief.  They were arrested through surveillance of a parking lot where they were allegedly seen periodically getting out of a car to peer into other parked vehicles.  They were allegedly found to be in possession of stolen GPS devices when they were pulled over on Route 1.

Source article: 

Despite these positive developments in Edison's public safety, there were two more crimes reported yesterday. 

A 21 year old man from Florida walking out of the Polo Lounge of the Holiday Inn at Raritan Center was grazed by a bullet.  The incident occured at about 3:00 AM Sunday morning.  Several patrons heard a gunshot as they walked out of the lounge.  A short time later the victim realized he had been grazed by a bullet.  He was treated at RWJ ER and released.  Police reportedly do not suspect the group was involved in any arguments, and suspect that the round was fired from a distance away. 

Source article: 

Florida man grazed by bullet in Edison hotel parking lot - myCentralJersey, February 1st, 2010

Also in Edison crime news, a laptop was stolen from a 2010 Ford Escape in the parking lot of Romano's Macaroni Grill on Route 1.  The rear passenger winodw of the vehicle was smashed and the property stolen some time between 6:00 PM and 9:50 PM on Tuesday. 

Source article: 

Laptop stolen from SUV in Edison - myCentralJersey, February 1st, 2010

Police Investigate and Find Nothing Untoward With Man Offering $5 to Give 13 Year Old Ride in Car 

January 29th, 2010

Edison police Lt. Sal Filannino reported that an investigation of an incident day before yesterday of a man offering a 13 year old boy $5 for a ride in his car detemined that it was not an attempted luring.  The man has not been found, but reportedly the case was resolved.  No further details were provided. 

Source articles:

Cops: No foul play in man's offer of ride to Edison teen for money - myCentralJersey, January 29th, 2010

More Crime Related News Over the Last Week

January 29th, 2010

It seems crime stories in Edison are becoming routine. 

There was yet another attempted luring of a child yesterday.  A blond man driving a white Mercury Milan offered a 13 year old boy $5 to give the boy a ride.  The incident occured Wednesday at about 4PM as the boy was walking on Route 27 near the Rite Aide store at Bridge Street. 

And yesterday a judge ruled that last September's physical assault of a Jewish man by a teenager last was a indeed a bias crime.  The youth was sentenced to a year's probation, and to pay the victim $630 in restitution for the victim's medical bills, his broken eyeglasses, and the cleaning bill for his clothes (the victim was knocked to the ground).  The teenager was also ordered to write a 500 word essay about the effects of anti-semitism.

Other crime news over the last week: 

A former Edison police officer who was arrested last March for shoplifting was sentenced to probation.

One of the Edison school janitors charged last month in the drug prescription scheme committed suicide.

Nine cars were broken into at Menlo Park mall.

There was yet another mugging of a commuter walking from the Edison train station to Blueberry Village Apartments. 

On a brighter note, police apprehended a suspect in recent robberies in Edison and Woodbridge.

Here's the list of all the crime stories for the last week: