New Providence Police Blotter: April 8 - May 3

04-08-2011- Patrolman Michael Scuorzo arrested William DiGiovanni, age 39, of Whitehouse Station on an outstanding warrant out of Wayne after he was found trespassing.  He was released after posting bail.

04-10-2011- Patrolman Michael Hand arrested Alba Millan, age 39, of Jersey City with driving while intoxicated after she was found sleeping in the driver’s seat of a vehicle parked idling on private property.  She was given a mandatory court date in the New Providence Municipal Court. 

04-12-2011- Patrols responded to a report of an intoxicated 17 year-old male acting disorderly and damaging private property.  Patrols took the juvenile into protective custody and turned him over to his parent.  The juvenile was charged with criminal mischief, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest by flight and was given a court date with the Union County Family Court.

04-12-2011- A resident of Evergreen Avenue reported several fraudulent charges to her credit card.  The report is currently under investigation by the New Providence Detective Bureau.

04-12-2011- Patrolman Joseph DiParisi arrested Hadrian Matthews, age 19, of Chatham on an outstanding warrant out of the borough after his vehicle was stopped for having a headlamp out.  He was released pending a court date.

04-14-2011- Patrolman Bryce Garrison charged Osvaldo Rodriguez-Araya, age 42, of Springfield with driving while suspended and for use of a cell phone without a hands-free device after his vehicle was stopped for the cell phone violation.

04-14-2011- A resident of Birch Place had her wallet stolen from a business in Berkeley Heights.  Within ten minutes, two fraudulent transactions were made on one of the credit cards at another Berkeley Heights business and a New Providence business.  A third attempt was made at another borough business, but the clerk advised the suspect that the owner of the card would have to make the purchase.  The suspect never returned and the business manager contacted the police department once they realized the credit card was probably stolen.  The crime is currently under investigation by the detective bureau. 

04-14-2011- A resident on Madison Avenue reported in the kitchen of the home.  The patrols responded to the structure fire along with the New Providence Fire Department and mutual aid from surrounding town.  Within a half hour of the initial call the Fire Department along with the assistance of Chatham Township, Chatham Borough, Summit, Springfield, and Berkeley Heights Fire Departments controlled the fire.  The volunteers from the New Providence Rescue Squad were also on hand providing rehab for the fire fighters as well as checking out the residents of the home to make sure they were not hurt.  After an investigation, the fire was not determined to be suspicious.

04-15-2011- Patrols responded to the parking lot of a borough business on a report of several individuals drinking alcohol in a parked vehicle.  Upon investigation, Patrolman Michael Scuorzo and Patrolman Chad Wilson came in contact with the five suspects.  Alvaro Alfaro, age 34, of New Providence, Gerardo Ordones, age 45, of Hillside, Rodrigo Peres, age 21, of Orange, Gerson Roca, age 20, of Orange, and Walter Fernandez, age 36, of Warren were issued borough violation summonses for consuming and possessing alcoholic beverages in public.  Patrolman Scuorzo also arrested Walter Fernandez on an outstanding warrant out of Union and he was released after posting bail.  Patrolman Wilson also charged Gerson Roca with underage possession of alcohol.  All were given a mandatory court date in the New Providence Municipal Court.

04-17-2011- A resident of Third Street reported criminal mischief to her vehicle.  The victim indicated she has seen dents and scratches on her vehicle, which have appeared overnight.  The incidents are currently under investigation by the detective bureau.

04-17-2011- A resident of Elkwood Avenue reported his house was burglarized after they found their rear door shattered after returning from vacation.  There were several items missing, including a laptop, video camera, and a video-game system.  The burglary is under investigation by the detective bureau. 

04-18-2011- Patrolman Joseph DiParisi charged Tasheeta Miller, age 27, of Union City with driving while suspended and operating an uninsured vehicle after her vehicle was stopped for driving on private property to avoid a traffic signal.

04-18-2011- Patrolman Andrew Diamond charged Martin Gumbs, Jr., age 35, of Edgewater with driving while suspended, operating a vehicle with a suspended registration, and operating an uninsured vehicle after a random license plate inquiry revealed the suspensions.

04-22-2011- Patrolman Chad Wilson arrested Jose Urbina Tapia, age 35, of Gaithersburg, Maryland on an outstanding warrant out of Maplewood after his vehicle was stopped for a motor vehicle equipment violation.  Mr. Urbina Tapia was released after posting bail.

04-22-2011- Sergeant Justine Kennedy charged Carolyn James, age 49, of New Providence with driving while suspended after she was stopped for using a cell phone without a hands free device.  She was issued summonses for the violations and given a court date.

04-27-2011- Patrolman Michael Hand arrested Paddy Purcell, age 21, of Piscataway with failing to register the name of his business after soliciting in the borough and starting work on a residence in town.  He was released pending a court date.

04-27-2011- Patrolman Joseph Parlapiano charged Kathleen Castles-Fonseca, age 39, of New Providence with the Borough Ordinance violations of allowing a dog at large and unlicensed dog after her dog was found several times in the span of two days running at large at Salt Brook School without a collar.  Mrs. Castles-Fonseca was given a mandatory court date.

04-29-2011- A resident in a Springfield Avenue apartment complex reported that her vehicle was burglarized around 3:00 p.m. after someone opened her unlocked driver’s side door and stole $50.00.  The crime is currently under investigation by the detective bureau.

04-30-2011- Corporal Jason Labaska arrested Robert Bickel, age 34, of Berkeley Heights with driving while intoxicated after Mr. Bickel was involved in a motor vehicle crash.  He was issued several summons and released to his wife pending a court date.

05-03-2011- Several residents on Runnymede Parkway reported numerous juveniles ringing doorbells, then running, cursing, throwing items at houses, and using vulgar language at residents.  The eight juveniles were located by patrols and the detectives.  No property was reported to be damaged and the juveniles were released to a parent.  The matter was turned over to the detective bureau.

05-03-2011- Patrolman Joseph Parlapiano arrested Merthan Kutlu, age 47, of Florham Park with driving while intoxicated after his vehicle was involved in a motor vehicle crash.  He was issued several summonses and released to his wife pending a court date. 

05-03-2011- A resident in a Springfield Avenue apartment complex reported that there was an attempt to burglarize his vehicle after finding damage to the driver’s side door lock.  The attempted burglary occurred between April 23rd and May 3rd.  The crime is currently under investigation by the detective bureau.

The New Providence Detective Bureau is currently investigating a fraudulent business identified as “Global Quest Incorporated” that is utilizing an address in New Providence, New Jersey.  The actual address being utilized by Global Quest Inc. is vacant space and the business is not physically located in New Providence.  The business is contacting unsuspecting victims across the country to participate in consumer product evaluations otherwise known as a “Secret Shopper Scams”.  After coercing individuals to become a part of the scam, Global Quest Inc. sends checks to the participants and then has the participants send money back to them utilizing Western Union.  After the victims send the money via Western Union, the victims get notified by their banks that the checks deposited from Global Quest are fraudulent.   Victims have reported losses of a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars.  If anyone has been a victim of this scam by Global Quest please contact your local police department.  Victims can also report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission (www.FTC.gov) and the Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org).