City of Montclair Township

Police Blotter: December 6, 2022 – December 13, 2022

Motor Vehicle Crime

December 7, 2022 (Wildwood Avenue): The resident reported that his 2022 Audi Q8 was stolen from his driveway between 7:15 AM and 8:15 AM. A witness reported a small white compact vehicle parked in front of the residence. An individual exited the white vehicle, ran to the Audi and entered it. Both vehicles then fled west on Wildwood Avenue. The Audi was recovered the same afternoon on Nye Avenue in Irvington. It was parked in the rear of a building and unoccupied.

Theft

December 9, 2022 (Park Street): The complainant reported that his cell phone and airpods were stolen from the YMCA gym while he was playing basketball. The Apple airpods were valued at $150.00 and were last tracked to Greenwood Avenue in Montclair.

Arrests

December 8, 2022 (Fairview Place): On December 8, 2022 at approximately 2:01 AM, Montclair Police responded to a Fairview Place residence on a report of a motor vehicle theft in progress. The suspects were unable to get the vehicle and fled north on Fairview Place in a white SUV prior to police arrival. The responding officer spoke with the victim and provided a description of the suspects and suspect vehicle to the other patrol units.
Another officer who was patrolling Upper Montclair observed a vehicle matching the description idling on Elston Road. When the officer made a U-Turn, the white SUV fled south on Valley Road. The officer attempted to stop the white SUV, however, the suspect vehicle continued to flee at a high rate of speed south on Valley Road. A registration check revealed that the suspect vehicle was an Infinity QX6 reported stolen from Roselle, NJ.
Montclair Officers continued to pursue the vehicle through Montclair, Glen Ridge, Bloomfield, and Newark before the suspect vehicle came to a stop at the intersection of West Market Street and North 6th Street in Newark. Three suspects fled from the vehicle on foot but were apprehended by officers after a short foot pursuit.
Rashaan Hightower (18-year-old male from Newark) was charged with Receiving Stolen Property and Eluding and remanded to the Essex County Jail. The remaining two subjects were juveniles (14-year-old male from Newark and a 17-year-old male from Newark). They were each charged with Receiving Stolen Property and Eluding. The 17-year-old was additionally
charged with attempted motor vehicle burglary stemming from the incident on Fairview Place. They were transported to the Essex County Youth House.
One Montclair Officer sustained a laceration to his right eye and hand during the foot pursuit. That officer was treated at Mountainside Hospital. A second Montclair Officer sustained an injury to his hamstring.