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Glen Rock, NJ

Ex-Con Charged By FBI With Igniting Explosive Outside Passaic County ATM Ex-Con Charged By FBI With Igniting Explosive Outside Passaic County ATM
Ex-Con Charged By FBI With Igniting Explosive Outside Passaic County ATM A career criminal from Passaic County who's been busted dozens of times in North Jersey in just the past few years used an explosive device to damage an ATM, federal authorities charged. Nicolas Torres, 41, of Passaic, has amassed a lengthy rap sheet over much of his adult life, mostly involving business break-ins that local police and county prosecutors have dealt with. This time, though, the FBI's got him. Torres was captured on surveillance video igniting the device in front of the Chase Bank ATM on North 6th Street in Prospect Park in the early morning hours of July 5, 2022, U.S. Attor…
SCAM ALERT: NJ Homeowner Loses $27,400 As Home Repair Con Men Prep For Spring SCAM ALERT: NJ Homeowner Loses $27,400 As Home Repair Con Men Prep For Spring
Scam ALERT: NJ Homeowner Loses $27,400 As Home Repair Con Men Prep For Spring A roof repair scam cost a Glen Rock resident $27,400, prompting the borough police chief to warn citizens against con men who come to the door. Two visiting scammers who claimed to be from Nassau County, on Long Island, offered to repair a partially damaged section of one victim’s roof for $3,400, Glen Rock Police Chief Dean Ackermann said. No sooner had they begun their work than they suddenly “discovered” that the damage was “more extensive than originally thought,” the chief said. They asked for an additional $24,000 and the resident subsequently wired them the money, he said. The…
Anti-Israel Stickers Were Posted At NJ Starbucks Before Red-Paint Vandalism, Chief Says Anti-Israel Stickers Were Posted At NJ Starbucks Before Red-Paint Vandalism, Chief Says
Anti-Israel Stickers Were Posted At NJ Starbucks Before Red-Paint Vandalism, Chief Says UPDATE: Whoever defaced a sign with red paint at a Starbucks in Glen Rock was apparently mimicking similar attacks that have occurred throughout the U.S. and Canada since the Israel-Hamas war began last October, Police Chief Dean Ackermann said. Ackermann also said that stickers bearing hateful messages against Israel that were found with the overnight vandalism on Feb. 19 apparently had been attached sometime before then. "A closer examination of these stickers shows scratches and marks that may indicate they had been on the poles for a few days," the chief said. In an effort to narrow do…
BIAS CRIME: Red Paint, Anti-Palestinian Messages Deface Sign At NJ Starbucks BIAS CRIME: Red Paint, Anti-Palestinian Messages Deface Sign At NJ Starbucks
Bias Crime: Red Paint, Anti-Palestinian Messages Deface Sign At NJ Starbucks Authorities were searching for whoever defaced a sign at a Starbucks in Glen Rock overnight with red paint, graffiti and stickers with hateful messages against Israel. The manager of the shop in the borough's central business district called police shortly after 8 a.m. Monday, Feb. 19, Police Chief Dean Ackermann said. In addition to the paint, stickers were attached, one of which read: "FROM THE U.S. TO PALESTINE ABOLISH THE SETTLER STATE." "it is believed that the act occurred in the early morning hours prior to the opening of the store," the chief said. Ackermann said his department is…
NJ Fan of Country Star Morgan Wallen Loses $1,100 To Facebook Ticket Scam NJ Fan of Country Star Morgan Wallen Loses $1,100 To Facebook Ticket Scam
NJ Fan of Country Star Morgan Wallen Loses $1,100 To Facebook Ticket Scam A fan from Bergen County who'd apparently landed a trio of tickets on Facebook for country star Morgan Wallen’s sold-out concert tour got left with a case of the blues. Glen Rock Police Chief Dean Ackermann said the victim Venmo’d $1,104 to three different individuals after making what appeared to be a deal with a Ridgewood resident for three ducats to Wallen’s worldwide “One Night At A Time" tour. “The ‘seller’ subsequently emailed ticket confirmation statements [that] turned out to be fraudulent and would not open on the legitimate Ticketmaster website,” the chief said. His detectives ar…
They Steal Your Heart, Then Steal Your Money: Romance Scammers Make It Look Easy They Steal Your Heart, Then Steal Your Money: Romance Scammers Make It Look Easy
They Steal Your Heart, Then Steal Your Money: Romance Scammers Make It Look Easy It's heartbreaking to discover that someone you've become enamored with online isn't into you, but it’s even worse to realize that person just made off with $3,500 of your money. That’s what happened to a Glen Rock resident who ended up wiring the dough to a sweet talker in the Dominican Republic. Suffice to say: It wasn’t coming back. Although $3,500 is a significant sum to some, it’s couch cushion change compared with the $450,000 in crypto lost last year by another romance scam victim from Glen Rock. According to the Federal Trade Commission, a staggering $1.3 BILLION was lost by 70,000…
Exposure To Rat Poison Sends North Jersey HS Student, Staffers, Officer, EMTs To Hospital Exposure To Rat Poison Sends North Jersey HS Student, Staffers, Officer, EMTs To Hospital
Exposure To Rat Poison Sends North Jersey HS Student, Staffers, Officer, EMTs To Hospital A Glen Rock High School student, five school staffers, a police officer and two EMTs were all hospitalized following exposure to a rat poison that the youngster brought in on Monday, authorities said. The student had a reaction to the rodenticide known as Thallium, Glen Rock Police Chief Dean Ackermann said. All nine people taken to The Valley Hospital and Hackensack University Medical Center on Oct. 2 -- including the student -- were medically cleared, the chief said. "As of this time none are exhibiting any signs of an adverse reaction," Ackermann said late Monday afternoon. A Glen …
Wrongly Sent Bomb Threat Over Canadian Transgender Teacher Brings Tactical Teams To NJ District Wrongly Sent Bomb Threat Over Canadian Transgender Teacher Brings Tactical Teams To NJ District
Wrongly Sent Bomb Threat Over Canadian Transgender Teacher Brings Tactical Teams To NJ District A misdirected bomb threat intended for a school more than 600 miles away brought the bomb squad, K-9 unit and SWAT team to Glen Rock on Tuesday. A Central School in Hamilton, Ontario, apparently was the intended target of an email directed to the school of the same name in Glen Rock, borough Police Chief Dean Ackermann said on Sept. 26. No fewer than six schools in the Hamilton-Wentworth district in Ontario reported receiving an unrelenting string of threats that began late last week. Their Central School wasn’t one of them, however. Not taking any chances, the Glen Rock police chief sum…
Northwest Trial Awaits NJ Inmate Convicted Of Sexually Assaulting Bergen County Girl, 14 Northwest Trial Awaits NJ Inmate Convicted Of Sexually Assaulting Bergen County Girl, 14
Northwest Trial Awaits NJ Inmate Convicted Of Sexually Assaulting Bergen County Girl, 14 A man who began serving a five-year sentence earlier this year for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old Bergen County girl still faces related charges in his home state of Washington. Devin C. Curtis, 26, was originally arrested by authorities at his home in Clarkston, WA in June 2021. A mother had gone to police in Glen Rock a few months earlier after discovering “extremely sexual” texts and images. They, in turn, contacted their colleagues more than 2,500 miles away in Clarkston. Curtis apparently was already on law enforcement radar there after being accused of luring a female to his …
Captain Eyed For Homicide Charge In Italian Boat Crash That Killed Publishing Exec From Bergen Captain Eyed For Homicide Charge In Italian Boat Crash That Killed Publishing Exec From Bergen
Captain Eyed For Homicide Charge In Italian Boat Crash That Killed Publishing Exec From Bergen Authorities are investigating potential homicide charges against the captain of a rented motorboat involved in a horrific accident that killed a publishing executive from Bergen County off Italy's Amalfi Coast. Blood was taken from the skipper following the crash late last week that killed Adrienne Vaughan, the 45-year-old New York president of Bloomsbury Publishing from Glen Rock, in front of her husband and their two children, Italian authorities confirmed. It was all part of a continuing investigation into the captain's condition before the crash, Chief Prosecutor Giuseppe Borrelli of t…
NJ Man Advertises Fake Vehicle Registrations On Facebook, Sells Them In CVS Lot: Police NJ Man Advertises Fake Vehicle Registrations On Facebook, Sells Them In CVS Lot: Police
NJ Man Advertises Fake Vehicle Registrations On Facebook, Sells Them In CVS Lot: Police A man who advertised fake New Jersey temporary vehicle registrations for sale on Facebook was caught peddling them in the parking lot of a strip mall in Glen Rock. Photographer Boyd A. Loving was at the scene of the arrest. The defendant, Keith Miller, 40, had his SUV parked outside the CVS when police arrived at the Rock Road lot shortly before noon on Tuesday, June 6. Officer Andrew Magro arrested Miller, who Glen Rock Police Chief Dean Ackermann said had six bogus temporary vehicle registrations with him at the time. The sale of phony temp plates has increased rapidly, Ackermann noted…
Phony $18M Publishers C'House Prize Nearly Convinces NJ Woman, 82, To Give Scammer $10,000 Phony $18M Publishers C'House Prize Nearly Convinces NJ Woman, 82, To Give Scammer $10,000
Phony $18M Publishers C'House Prize Nearly Convinces NJ Woman, 82, To Give Scammer $10,000 An 82-year-old woman from Wyckoff came within a whisker of losing $10,000 to a scammer who managed to con her out of $500 by claiming that she’d won $18 million and a new luxury vehicle, authorities said. The caller from an unknown number told the woman that she'd won a Publishers Clearing House grand prize, Police Lt. Joseph Soto said. However, the caller said she’d have to buy $10,000 worth of gift cards – and then provide the numbers on them – to collect her prizes, Soto said. The woman bought a $500 card and gave the information to redeem it to the caller, the lieutenant said. He then…
Scam Victim Literally Gift-Wraps $25,000 In Cash Scam Victim Literally Gift-Wraps $25,000 In Cash
Scam Victim Literally Gift-Wraps $25,000 In Cash Yes, it’s difficult to believe, but an unwitting North Jersey victim literally gift-wrapped $25,000 in cash for a scammer to steal. It happened to a 75-year-old Glen Rock resident who got a pop-up home computer message directing her to contact Apple/Microsoft "due to an issue with their computer,” Police Chief Dean Ackermann said. The victim used the number provided by the scammer rather than do an independent search herself for whom to call, the chief said. A purported representative who answered told her that it would cost $25,000 to resolve the issue. So the victim withdrew the cash fr…
These NJ Schools Are Closed, Delayed Due To Snow Tuesday, Feb. 28 These NJ Schools Are Closed, Delayed Due To Snow Tuesday, Feb. 28
These NJ Schools Are Closed, Delayed Due To Snow Tuesday, Feb. 28 The first winter storm of the season is causing a change in plans for New Jersey schools on Tuesday, Feb. 28. Some districts have delayed openings while others are closed completely. Here's a list of which school are closed or delayed for Tuesday, Feb. 28. Check your school/district's website for details. Bedminster: 10: 50 a.m. start Bellville: Delayed Bergen County Tech: Closed Bergenfield: 2-hour delay Bernards: 2-hour delay Bloomfield: Delay Bloomingdale: Closed Bogota: Delayed Butler: Closed Cliffside Park: 10 a.m. start Clifton: Delayed Closter: Delayed Cresskill: Delayed Demarest: …
'Exemplary' Work Pegs NYC Man For Brutal Robbery Of NJ Warehouse Worker 'Exemplary' Work Pegs NYC Man For Brutal Robbery Of NJ Warehouse Worker
'Exemplary' Work Pegs NYC Man For Brutal Robbery Of NJ Warehouse Worker Two determined Glen Rock detectives identified, located and charged a Queens man with the vicious robbery of a 66-year-old Bergenfield man last spring in the parking lot of the warehouse where he works. The victim was carrying what police described as a “substantial” amount of cash when two robbers accosted him in broad daylight at the De Boer Drive warehouse last June 16. Co-workers dialed 911 after hearing the victim’s cries for help, Glen Rock Police Chief Dean Ackermann said. The victim had bought lottery tickets at a nearby Maple Avenue convenience store a short time earlier, the chie…
Stranger In Hazmat Suit Who Sprayed Merch At NY Florist Identified As NY State Resident Stranger In Hazmat Suit Who Sprayed Merch At NY Florist Identified As NY State Resident
Stranger In Hazmat Suit Who Sprayed Merch At NY Florist Identified As NY State Resident UPDATE: One person's prank is another's vandalism, as a New York State man learned when police in Glen Rock identified him as the stranger in a hazmat suit who sprayed plants and flowers at a local shop with an unknown substance. Robert X. Houston, 22, of Middletown, claimed that he pulled the stunt at Perry’s Florist & Gardens on Harristown Road in January as part of an effort to establish himself as a YouTube personality, Police Chief Dean Ackermann said. Houston told police there were no chemicals or other substances in the hand-held sprayer, but Ackermann said more than $750 wo…
Child Admits Drawing Swastika On NJ Middle School Desk, Police Chief Says Child Admits Drawing Swastika On NJ Middle School Desk, Police Chief Says
Child Admits Drawing Swastika On NJ Middle School Desk, Police Chief Says UPDATE: A Glen Rock middle school student admitted drawing a swastika on a classroom desk, authorities said. The drawing is apparently an isolated incident, Police Chief Dean Ackermann announced on Saturday afternoon, Dec. 17.  The symbol drawn on a desk in a room shared by students from 6th to 8th grade was brought to school officials’ attention by two middle school youngsters on Wednesday, Ackermann said. “Late in the day on Friday it was learned that school officials had identified [a] student who had taken responsibility for the incident, which appears to be isolated,” the chief s…
Police Forced To Put Deer Down After Crash In North Jersey, It's Season For Drivers To Beware Police Forced To Put Deer Down After Crash In North Jersey, It's Season For Drivers To Beware
Police Forced To Put Deer Down After Crash In North Jersey, It's Season For Drivers To Beware The risk posed by deer in densely populated areas this particular time of year was tragically illustrated when one had to be put down in Glen Rock after being struck by a car. The driver was treated by an EMT from the Glen Rock Volunteer Ambulance Corps for a minor hand injury after the deer smashed the windshield of a Hyundai Elantra on Maple Avenue on Sunday, Oct. 30. A Glen Rock police officer had to put the deer down using a small-caliber rifle. A tow truck removed the sedan. Animal control officers tended to the deer. Deer are particularly active and tend to cover more territory than…
GOOD IMPRESSION: Plate Indentation Helps Police In North Jersey ID Hit-And-Run Vehicle GOOD IMPRESSION: Plate Indentation Helps Police In North Jersey ID Hit-And-Run Vehicle
Good Impression: Plate Indentation Helps Police In North Jersey ID Hit-And-Run Vehicle A motorist literally made an impression that helped Glen Rock police crack a hit-and-run crash that injured another driver, authorities said. A 48-year-old borough man had stopped for a pedestrian in a crosswalk on Rock Road just east of Main Street when his 2012 Honda Accord was rear-ended by a black Jeep that fled the scene, Police Chief Dean Ackermann said. The driver was taken to The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood with injuries that weren’t considered life-threatening after the 6:42 p.m. crash last Thursday, Oct. 20, the chief said. Meanwhile, Officer Andrew Magro investigated the crash …
Probe Continuing Into Death Of Popular North Jersey Widow Struck While Walking Dog: Authorities Probe Continuing Into Death Of Popular North Jersey Widow Struck While Walking Dog: Authorities
Probe Continuing Into Death Of Popular North Jersey Widow Struck While Walking Dog: Authorities Nearly two weeks after a popular 67-year-old Hawthorne widow was struck and killed by an out-of-control vehicle while walking her dog, authorities suddenly announced that they were continuing an investigation into her death. Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Hawthorne Police Chief James Knepper didn’t explain why they're now officially acknowledging -- while providing some details of -- the Sept. 24 death of Bonnie Siebert in a joint release issued on Thursday, Oct. 6. A Glen Rock native, Siebert had lost her husband of 32 years, Robert “Bob” Siebert, just this past January.&n…
HIGH PROFILE: Stranded Cable Guy Rescued By North Jersey Firefighters Snaps Selfies (PHOTOS) HIGH PROFILE: Stranded Cable Guy Rescued By North Jersey Firefighters Snaps Selfies (PHOTOS)
High Profile: Stranded Cable Guy Rescued By North Jersey Firefighters Snaps Selfies (Photos) Talk about a high profile: Glen Rock firefighters plucked a stranded cable TV contractor from his bucket after it became stuck in the air, then he began snapping selfies on the way down, witnesses said. The hydraulic arm apparently malfunctioned, leaving the worker suspended above Hanover Place off Heathcote Road shortly before 4 p.m. Tuesday. The borough’s bravest brought a ladder truck to fetch the worker, who took advantage of the backdrop to shoot some selfies (see below). The cable guy was unfazed after finding himself in a pickle in Glen Rock.Boyd A. Loving Glen Rock police handl…
RECOGNIZE THEM? Thugs Beat, Rob Bergenfield Man, 66, In Glen Rock RECOGNIZE THEM? Thugs Beat, Rob Bergenfield Man, 66, In Glen Rock
Recognize Them? Thugs Beat, Rob Bergenfield Man, 66, In Glen Rock A 66-year-old Bergenfield man who was carrying a substantial amount of cash was beaten and robbed by a pair of ruthless thugs who left him in the parking lot of the Glen Rock warehouse where he works, authorities said. Glen Rock police released surveillance image photos Thursday night in the hopes of identifying the assailants. Co-workers at the De Boer Drive warehouse called 911 after hearing the victim’s cries for help shortly before 3 p.m., Police Chief Dean Ackermann said. The victim “was in possession of a large amount of cash” when he bought lottery tickets at a nearby Maple Avenue …
Prosecutor: NJ Man, 25, Had Sex Chats, Pic Swaps With Kids, Could Be More Prosecutor: NJ Man, 25, Had Sex Chats, Pic Swaps With Kids, Could Be More
Prosecutor: NJ Man, 25, Had Sex Chats, Pic Swaps With Kids, Could Be More A 25-year-old Fort Lee man collected child pornography and exchanged nude images during sexually explicit conversations with children, authorities charged. Sky Jack Marshall may have had similar contact with other youngsters, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. Marshall “used the Internet to view, download and possess files depicting nude and/or sexually explicit prepubescent and pubescent children,” Musella said. He also used social media messaging with juveniles to “engage in sexually explicit dialogue and send nude images to underage children, the prosecutor said. “During such …
NJ Love Seeker Loses $450,000 To Scammer On Dating App For 'Rich And Attractive' NJ Love Seeker Loses $450,000 To Scammer On Dating App For 'Rich And Attractive'
NJ Love Seeker Loses $450,000 To Scammer On Dating App For 'Rich And Attractive' It's heartbreaking to learn that someone you've become enamored with online isn't into you, but it's downright tragic to discover that person just made off with $450,000 of your money. That's right: A con artist collected nearly a half-million dollars in crypto from a Glen Rock, NJ resident who fell for an online romance scam. You could call it missed fortune. The victim met the imposter on Luxy, a dating app for millionaires -- and those looking to meet them -- that boasts of collecting "the most attractive and financially stable of dating applicants." Or, as the founders of the Hon…
LOOKIN' FOR LOVE: NJ Detective Sniffs Out Online Romance Scam LOOKIN' FOR LOVE: NJ Detective Sniffs Out Online Romance Scam
Lookin' FOR Love: NJ Detective Sniffs Out Online Romance Scam A Glen Rock detective was in for a surprise when he traced an online scam that victimized a local man to a woman in Washington State. It turns out that person got scammed herself. Before he was done, Glen Rock Police Detective Sgt. James Calaski found three other victims who got taken by a money launderer who lives in Africa, Police Chief Dean Ackermann said. All of them were apparently looking for love. The con man had developed a virtual relationship with the 65-year-old Washington State woman, convincing her that he was a contractor flipping houses in Texas, Ackermann said. He the…
NJ Resident Escapes Injury Confronting SUV Thief In Driveway NJ Resident Escapes Injury Confronting SUV Thief In Driveway
NJ Resident Escapes Injury Confronting SUV Thief In Driveway A thief in a ski mask had just gotten into an SUV left running outside a Glen Rock home when the driver's husband came running out trying to stop him, authorities said. The husband, 41, opened the passenger side door of the 2020 Audi SQ5, but the thief kept backing down the driveway around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 8, Glen Rock Police Chief Dean Ackermann said. He fortunately let go of the handle before the door smashed the side of the Van Allen Road home, the chief said. The tall, thin bandit, who was wearing gloves, abandoned the now-damaged SUV and got into a waiting 2021 B…
CRIME WAVE: Unprecedented Epidemic Of Vehicle Thefts, Burglaries Grows Alarming In North Jersey CRIME WAVE: Unprecedented Epidemic Of Vehicle Thefts, Burglaries Grows Alarming In North Jersey
Crime Wave: Unprecedented Epidemic Of Vehicle Thefts, Burglaries Grows Alarming In North Jersey Thieves are prowling North Jersey streets in unprecedented numbers, stealing unlocked vehicles or items left inside of them, authorities say. And police alone can't stem the tide. Local and county law enforcement are devoting more resources to stopping the bandits, who are often from out of the area. But they can’t be everywhere at once.  More owners need to lock their vehicles and take their key fobs, they say, or things will only get worse. Think of it this way: Imagine your unlocked vehicle is stolen, is involved in a pursuit and slams into another car. Imagine someone is killed in the…
ICY MORNING (UPDATE): One Dead, Highways Closed, Dozens Injured In North Jersey Crashes ICY MORNING (UPDATE): One Dead, Highways Closed, Dozens Injured In North Jersey Crashes
ICY Morning (Update): One Dead, Highways Closed, Dozens Injured In North Jersey Crashes UPDATE: One victim was confirmed dead and westbound Route 3 in East Rutherford was temporarily closed Wednesday morning following what was the most serious in a series of crashes on icy North Jersey roads. Here's a listing of incidents. Mark Kolta, 31, of North Bergen had been involved in an earlier chain-reaction crash on the Hackensack River bridge on westbound Route 3 shortly after 6:30 a.m., East Rutherford Deputy Police Chief Phillip Taormina said. He was struck in another pileup after getting out of his vehicle, the deputy chief said. Kolta was pronounced dead at a local hospital a …
BEWARE: 'Amazon' Phone Scammer Cons NJ Victim Out Of $10,000 BEWARE: 'Amazon' Phone Scammer Cons NJ Victim Out Of $10,000
Beware: 'Amazon' Phone Scammer Cons NJ Victim Out Of $10,000 A Glen Rock resident lost more than $10,000 in an Amazon telephone scam, authorities said. The victim had just made an Amazon purchase when a text arrived from a purported “customer service representative” claiming there’d been a $1,490.97 purchase that the resident didn’t make, Police Chief Dean Ackermann said. The scammer then gave the victim a number to call to dispute the charge, he said. The victim called and was directed to buy gift cards “to fix the security breach,” the chief said. “Over the next five hours the victim purchased over $ 10,000 in gift cards from NIKE, TARGET and E-B…
NJ Family Of 5 Loses Everything In Fierce Fire NJ Family Of 5 Loses Everything In Fierce Fire
NJ Family Of 5 Loses Everything In Fierce Fire UPDATE: Two cats were killed and another was missing in a destructive fire that ravaged a Hawthorne home, authorities said. A family of five -- including three children -- got out OK after the fire erupted on Victor Place around 7 p.m. Sunday, they said. They were evaluated on-scene by EMS. At the scene of the Victor Place fire in Hawthorne.DAILY VOICE The blaze immediately went to a second alarm before heavy flames and problems with water pressure boosted it to three, Hawthorne Fire Chief Jerry Speranza said. The roof was opened and the fire was eventually placed under control after…
Firefighters Battle North Jersey Blaze Firefighters Battle North Jersey Blaze
Firefighters Battle North Jersey Blaze UPDATE: Two cats were killed and another was missing in a destructive fire that ravaged a Hawthorne home, authorities said. A family of five -- including three children -- got out OK after the fire erupted on Victor Place around 7 p.m. Sunday, they said. They were evaluated on-scene by EMS. 76 Victor Place, HawthorneTom Tomesco The blaze immediately went to a second alarm before water problems and heavy flames boosted it to three, Hawthorne Fire Chief Jerry Speranza said. The roof was opened and the fire was eventually placed under control after about 90 minutes. Firefighters conti…