A Few Clouds 67°
Police & Fire
KNOW HIM? Police Seek ID For Squatter Believed To Have Set 3-Alarm Newark Fire KNOW HIM? Police Seek ID For Squatter Believed To Have Set 3-Alarm Newark Fire
Know HIM? Police Seek ID For Squatter Believed To Have Set 3-Alarm Newark Fire Police in Newark are seeking the public's help identifying a man they say may have sparked a house fire that sent a teenage boy to the hospital and displaced a family last week. Video footage shows a man believed to be a squatter leaving a South 11th Street home just before the blaze broke out around 11:05 a.m. Dec. 18, Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose said. The black male is seen wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, green coat, dark pants and black boots, Ambrose said. The fire in the 2-story home climbed to three alarms in less than 20 minutes, and spread to a…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
'Outrageous': 12-Year-Old Boy Struck By Stray Bullet In Newark Home 'Outrageous': 12-Year-Old Boy Struck By Stray Bullet In Newark Home
'Outrageous': 12-Year-Old Boy Struck By Stray Bullet In Newark Home A stray bullet that flew through the window of a home struck and injured a 12-year-old boy Friday night in Newark's Central Ward, sparking outrage across the city. The boy was inside a home at 70-96 17th Ave., when the bullet entered from under a window where the victim was located around 9:55 p.m., Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose said. The boy was taken to University Hospital for treatment, and is "lucky to be alive," Ambrose said. “I’m outraged at the number of illegal handguns that are used to commit violence on our streets,” Ambrose added. “We have recov…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
SEEN HIM? Man In Car That Rear-Ended Another In Newark Wanted For Robbing Driver At Gunpoint SEEN HIM? Man In Car That Rear-Ended Another In Newark Wanted For Robbing Driver At Gunpoint
Seen HIM? Man In Car That Rear-Ended Another In Newark Wanted For Robbing Driver At Gunpoint A couple that had gotten out of their car to assess damage from a minor accident were robbed at gunpoint by a 34-year-old man in the vehicle that struck them, and remained at large more than a week later, authorities said Sunday evening. The two were rear-ended around 7:35 p.m. on Nov. 6 near Route 21 and Murray Street, Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose said. When the victim and his passenger exited his vehicle to inspect for damages, they were robbed at gunpoint by two men in the vehicle that hit their car, Ambrose said. The men removed a bag from the victim’s vehicle …

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
COVID-19 Crackdown: $10K In Illegal Alcohol Seized, 5 Newark Bars Closed For Slew Of Violations COVID-19 Crackdown: $10K In Illegal Alcohol Seized, 5 Newark Bars Closed For Slew Of Violations
Covid-19 Crackdown: $10K In Illegal Alcohol Seized, 5 Newark Bars Closed For Slew Of Violations Newark's COVID-19 task force closed five bars and lounges violating city health orders, seized nearly $10,000 worth of illegal alcohol and arrested two people who organized a massive warehouse party Halloween weekend, authorities said. The locations were operating above capacity limits, failed to enforce the use of face masks, serving illegal alcohol and more, Mayor Ras J. Baraka and Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose said. The Task Force on Friday confiscated illegal alcohol valued at $10,000 and arrested two people who organized a massive warehouse party, officials said. The …

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Police: Newark Officer Hospitalized After Being Dragged By Pair In Stolen SUV Police: Newark Officer Hospitalized After Being Dragged By Pair In Stolen SUV
Police: Newark Officer Hospitalized After Being Dragged By Pair In Stolen SUV A Newark police officer was hospitalized after being dragged by a pair of men in a stolen SUV, authorities said. The officer was patrolling 12th Avenue and South 9th Street when he approached a suspicious grey Honda CRV occupied by two men around 9 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose said. The driver accelerated, dragging the officer,  who was taken to University Hospital to be treated for knee, neck and chest injuries. “I am grateful that the officer is currently being treated for his injuries and that he has survived this senseless violence…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
SEEN THEM? Pair Sought In Newark Hotel Gunpoint Robbery SEEN THEM? Pair Sought In Newark Hotel Gunpoint Robbery
Seen Them? Pair Sought In Newark Hotel Gunpoint Robbery Authorities are seeking the public's help locating a pair who robbed a man at gunpoint in his Newark hotel room. The suspects went into the victim's Tryp Hotel room on 24 E. Park Street, and stole the victim's cash, a cell phone, debit cards, clothing and sneakers Sunday, Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose said. The two then fled in an early-model silver Acura sedan with no license plates. Anyone with information is urged to call the Division's 24-hour Crime Stopper tip line at 1-877-NWK-TIPS (1-877-695-8477). All anonymous Crime Stopper tips are kept confiden…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
KNOW HIM? Surveillance Tapes Show Masked, Violent Newark Robber Threatening Workers KNOW HIM? Surveillance Tapes Show Masked, Violent Newark Robber Threatening Workers
Know HIM? Surveillance Tapes Show Masked, Violent Newark Robber Threatening Workers Newark police are seeking the public's help identifying a man who they say threatened to hurt workers with a knife during a robbery last weekend. The man pictured tried leaving a store on the 100 block of 7th Avenue with items hidden under his clothes last Saturday, Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose said. The man "used physical force" against employees while threatening them with a knife, Ambrose said. The suspect is described as a man with a medium complexion, medium build, approximately six feet tall, with dark clothing and a white mask on his face. Anyone with infor…

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by Cecilia Levine
Obituaries
Newark Officer Who Once Disrupted Armed Robbery While Getting Haircut Dies, 47 Newark Officer Who Once Disrupted Armed Robbery While Getting Haircut Dies, 47
Newark Officer Who Once Disrupted Armed Robbery While Getting Haircut Dies, 47 A veteran Newark police officer who once disrupted an armed robbery while getting a haircut died this week after a long illness, officials said. Dexter Bright died Tuesday Oct. 6. He was 47 years old. Bright joined the Newark Police Division in August 2001. He was assigned to the traffic section, motorcycle unit and patrol assignments in the 3rd and 5th Precincts. “Our hearts are broken by this tragic loss of one Newark’s finest officers,” Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose said. “I stood alongside Officer Bright when he was presented the Valor Award by The 200 Club of Essex County…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Authorities: Newark Men Who Robbed Internet Dirt Bike Sellers At Gunpoint Busted With Heroin Authorities: Newark Men Who Robbed Internet Dirt Bike Sellers At Gunpoint Busted With Heroin
Authorities: Newark Men Who Robbed Internet Dirt Bike Sellers At Gunpoint Busted With Heroin Three Newark men and a teen who robbed sellers they met online at gunpoint were busted with heroin by police arresting them, authorities said Friday. Najee Carney, 19, Christian Carnegie, 19, Al-Tamir Mayweathers, 18, and a 15-year old boy agreed to purchase merchandise from someone they met online last month, Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose said. Carney, Carnegie, Mayweathers and the teen robbed the victims at gunpoint, once on Sept. 10 and again on Sept. 29, Ambrose said. In at least one of the incidents, the men robbed the victims of dirt bikes, Ambrose said. …

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
6th Newark Police Officer Who Died Of COVID-19 Was 'Good Man, Friend To All' 6th Newark Police Officer Who Died Of COVID-19 Was 'Good Man, Friend To All'
6th Newark Police Officer Who Died Of Covid-19 Was 'Good Man, Friend To All' The Newark Police Department is mourning the loss of its sixth member due to COVID-19. Det. Marcus Thomas died of virus complications Monday. “Sadly, the City of Newark has lost a truly good man who was a friend and a brother to all,” Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka said.  “Detective Thomas dedicated his life to public service and to honorably serving with an impeccable character of personal and professional dignity. Our deepest condolences are offered to Detective Thomas’ family. We share in your grief and mourning.” Thomas, 50, joined the division in 1993 and was assigned to various dep…

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by Valerie Musson
Police & Fire
Pair Killed In Newark Crash ID'd As Brothers Pair Killed In Newark Crash ID'd As Brothers
Pair Killed In Newark Crash ID'd As Brothers Authorities identified the two people killed in an early-morning Newark crash Thursday as brothers. Roger Narainsammy, 22, was in the front passenger seat while Robert Narainsammy, 26, was in the rear passenger seat of a black Acura MDX that struck a dump truck on McCarter Highway and Lafayette Street around 2:25 a.m., Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II, and Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose said. The 32-year-old driver was reportedly hospitalized and is expected to survive. The dump truck driver was not injured, and remained at the scene, Stephens and A…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Couple Busted With Jet Ski, Car Stolen Out Of Bergen County Couple Busted With Jet Ski, Car Stolen Out Of Bergen County
Couple Busted With Jet Ski, Car Stolen Out Of Bergen County A search warrant of a Newark couple's home turned up 12 stolen vehicles including a jet ski, 10 motorcycles and sedan, and nearly $14.700 in cash, authorities said. Jose Ventura, 34, and Carmen Y. Martinez, 31, were charged Thursday with receiving stolen property after a nearly two-month investigation, Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose said. Search warrants executed at a home on the 700 block of South 11th Street turned up $14,741.00 in cash; three motorcycles stolen out of Jersey City, Hoboken and New York City; seven motorcycles with defaced vehicle identification…

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by Cecilia Levine