Fair 67°
Police & Fire
CRIME SPREE: Paramus Police Nab Thieving Trio With $12,800 Worth Of Loot At Garden State Plaza CRIME SPREE: Paramus Police Nab Thieving Trio With $12,800 Worth Of Loot At Garden State Plaza
Crime Spree: Paramus Police Nab Thieving Trio With $12,800 Worth Of Loot At Garden State Plaza A trio of thieving New Yorkers were in the middle of a big-ticket crime spree at the Garden State Plaza -- snatching nearly 200 items worth more than $12,800 in under an hour and a half -- when Paramus police nabbed them, authorities said. Police caught their break when the three stole a cellphone and a wallet from a pair of kiosk workers shortly before 9:30 p.m. Friday, April 12, Paramus Police Chief Robert Guidetti said. Assisted by mall security, Paramus Detective Lt. Tom Schroeder and Detective Mark Pinajian quickly homed in on the trio, he said. Two of them -- Alexander Aria…

SHARE

by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
HEARTBREAKING HISTORY: Suicidal Teen Rescued From Hackensack River For 4TH Time In Two Years HEARTBREAKING HISTORY: Suicidal Teen Rescued From Hackensack River For 4TH Time In Two Years
Heartbreaking History: Suicidal Teen Rescued From Hackensack River For 4TH Time In Two Years A troubled young local girl brought rescuers to a bridge over the Hackensack River for the fourth time in less than two years on Friday.  And like twice before, she nearly drowned. The girl also had guardian angels on her side once again -- this time a group of New Milford police officers. The youngster, now 16, was sitting on the edge of the Old New Bridge when Lt. Nelson Perez arrived around 2 p.m. April 12, New Milford Police Chief Brian Clancy said. The officer had gotten within 10 feet when she jumped, the chief said. The teen was treading water when Perez climbed over the…

SHARE

by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
UPDATE: Popular Garfield Restaurant Ravaged By Overnight Fire (w/PHOTOS) UPDATE: Popular Garfield Restaurant Ravaged By Overnight Fire (w/PHOTOS)
Update: Popular Garfield Restaurant Ravaged By Overnight Fire (w/Photos) A firefighter was taken to a local hospital and two civilians were tended to at the scene of an overnight blaze that destroyed a popular Garfield restaurant and severely damaged the apartments above it. A passerby alerted authorities to the fire that broke on the first floor of DP's Pub and Seafood Grill on River Drive shortly after 2:30 a.m. Friday, April 12, responders said. Firefighters found flames engulfing the bar and spreading quickly through the upper floors. Police Capt. Mario Pozo said two second-floor tenants were treated for smoke inhalation at the scene after responding Garfie…

SHARE

by Jerry DeMarco
News
Meet Trailblazing Builder Behind Brand-New $2.55M Paramus Property Meet Trailblazing Builder Behind Brand-New $2.55M Paramus Property
Meet Trailblazing Builder Behind Brand-New $2.55M Paramus Property Agnes Wanat was always a builder of sorts. The Paramus resident created a diverse series of businesses throughout North Jersey — until she turned 35, and discovered her passion for building homes far outweighed her desire to own another in a series of businesses that left her wanting more. On Thursday, April 11, Wanat debuted her latest home construction project: A 7,500 square-foot, L-shaped home at 228 Diane Pl. in Paramus. The 6-bedroom, 6.5-bathroom house hit the market at $2.55 million, with Tony Nabhan of Keller Williams City Views Realty as the listing agent (click her…

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Paramus Boy, 14, Goes Missing For Nearly 10 Hours, Social Media Helps Find Him Paramus Boy, 14, Goes Missing For Nearly 10 Hours, Social Media Helps Find Him
Paramus Boy, 14, Goes Missing For Nearly 10 Hours, Social Media Helps Find Him The nearly 10-hour disappearance of a 14-year-old Paramus Catholic High School student with no known history of issues or problems was enough to worry not just friends and family members but local first responders, as well. As usual, the social media machine kicked into gear -- and, sure enough, it made a difference. The boy left school around 8:45 a.m. Monday, April 8,  Paramus Police Chief Robert Guidetti explained. Although the chief didn't say why, it was believed the boy had some type of disagreement with a family member. The teen was last seen walking into a wooded area in Sadd…

SHARE

by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
AGAIN? Repeat Bergen Offender Busted Trafficking 28,000 Child Sex Images: Prosecutor AGAIN? Repeat Bergen Offender Busted Trafficking 28,000 Child Sex Images: Prosecutor
Again? Repeat Bergen Offender Busted Trafficking 28,000 Child Sex Images: Prosecutor A repeat offender from South Hackensack relapsed following his release from prison by amassing and sharing 28,000 images of child pornography, said authorities who arrested him on Thursday. Corey Barraclough, 33, was released from the Adult Diagnostic Treatment Center in Avenel last October after serving more than 5½ years behind bars. The first 17 months or so were spent in the Bergen County Jail beginning in and the rest in state custody, records show. That's because the Northvale native had been found with more than 2,400 illegal child-porn images -- and was caught chatting online with …

SHARE

by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Teaneck Vape Store Owner, Clerk Cited For Selling To Underage Buyers: Police Teaneck Vape Store Owner, Clerk Cited For Selling To Underage Buyers: Police
Teaneck Vape Store Owner, Clerk Cited For Selling To Underage Buyers: Police The 25-year-old owner of a Teaneck vape store and one of his clerks were cited for selling to minors, authorities said. "After receiving complaints from residents about the sale of vape products to minors and the sale of prohibited vape items, Teaneck police detectives conducted an undercover operation," Teaneck Police Chief Andrew McGurr said. "The operation involved the attempted purchase of vape products from 13 retail establishments," the chief said. Of those businesses, only one -- All the Smoke on Cedar Lane -- allowed customers under 21 to buy vape products, violating state law, McG…

SHARE

by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Wanted Driver Crashes Off Route 17, Subdued After Grabbing Mahwah Officer's Gun Wanted Driver Crashes Off Route 17, Subdued After Grabbing Mahwah Officer's Gun
Wanted Driver Crashes Off Route 17, Subdued After Grabbing Mahwah Officer's Gun A fugitive who'd just crashed a car off Route 17 shouted at pursuing Mahwah police to shoot him, then grabbed at an officer's gun and bit him while being handcuffed Thursday morning, authorities said. Officer Christopher Lupo tried to stop Miles Harris, 32, of Newark for several violations on the southbound highway around 10:45 a.m. March 28, Lt. Michael Blondin said. Officer Nick Williams joined Lupo as the sedan exited the highway and fled onto Myrtle Avenue in Ramsey, the lieutenant said. It slammed into a tree moments later. Harris bailed out and ran behind some area businesses, Blond…

SHARE

by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
GOTCHA! Hit-And-Run Driver Who Struck Paramus Officer At Mall ID'd, Captured, Chief Says GOTCHA! Hit-And-Run Driver Who Struck Paramus Officer At Mall ID'd, Captured, Chief Says
Gotcha! Hit-And-Run Driver Who Struck Paramus Officer At Mall ID'd, Captured, Chief Says A suspect who hit a Paramus police officer with his car as he fled a local mall was identified and captured thanks to dogged detective work and crime-fighting teamwork, authorities said. Officers were investigating the use of credit cards stolen from vehicles at the Garden State Plaza when a black Honda CRV sped through the lower-level parking garage just before 8:30 p.m. Jan. 29, Paramus Police Chief Robert Guidetti said. Officer Michael Cleary was clipped by the car, whose driver kept going, Guidetti said. Cleary was treated for a knee injury at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood. Mea…

SHARE

by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
SWAT STANDOFF: Troubled Ridgefield Park Man Taken To Hospital SWAT STANDOFF: Troubled Ridgefield Park Man Taken To Hospital
SWAT Standoff: Troubled Ridgefield Park Man Taken To Hospital An emotionally disturbed apartment visitor held responders at bay in Ridgefield Park for four hours before being taken to a hospital Monday afternoon, authorities said. Police responded for a welfare check at the Marlboro House Apartments on Main Street around 12:30 p.m. Monday, March 25, Ridgefield Park Police Chief Joseph Rella said. The man, who apparently was visiting a relative, threatened to jump from the balcony of a third-floor apartment four stories above the rear parking lot.  Village police had spoken to the man for two hours before members of a Regional Crisis Negotiation …

SHARE

by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
UPDATE: Impaired Wrong-Way Route 4 Driver Injures 5, Himself, Faces Multiple Assault Charges UPDATE: Impaired Wrong-Way Route 4 Driver Injures 5, Himself, Faces Multiple Assault Charges
Update: Impaired Wrong-Way Route 4 Driver Injures 5, Himself, Faces Multiple Assault Charges 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: An impaired driver from Westchester was headed the wrong way on westbound Route 4 in Paramus when his SUV slammed head-on into another over the weekend, sending five people as well as himself to the hospital, authorities said. Whigmer J. Villanueva, 56, of Harrison was "operating his vehicle recklessly and under the influence of drugs and or alcohol" when his eastbound 2008 Toyota rammed an unidentified vehicle shortly near Paramus Road before 2:30 a.m. Saturday, March 23, a criminal complaint says. "Two passengers in the defendant's vehicle were injured as a result of the acci…

SHARE

by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Maywood House Fire Doused Maywood House Fire Doused
Maywood House Fire Doused Firefighters participating in a mutual aid drill in Paramus on Sunday rushed to Maywood to douse a genuine blaze. The fire had ignited in a 1½-story Cape Cod-style wood-frame home at 30 Grove Avenue -- around the corner from Maywood's fire HQ -- around 11:30 a.m. March 24.The first firefighters at the scene were met by heavy heat, smoke and flames on both floors. They had the fire under control within 90 minutes.  No injuries were reported. Mutual aid responders at the scene or in coverage included firefighters from Hackensack, Paramus, Rochelle Park, Lodi, Fair Lawn, Garfield, Saddl…

SHARE

by Jerry DeMarco